MGI Australasia: Annual Meeting: “Not a load of croc”!

The week commencing 17 May 2010 saw 70 MGI Australasian Partners, Senior Team Members and accompanying persons descend on the Top End for the MGI Australasian AGM. 

For those of us from New Zealand, travelling to the Top End offered a chance to detour to several cities en route – two stopped in Sydney, a third to Brisbane, a fourth in Perth and our fifth traveller managed to miss the West Island altogether and somehow ended up in Aitutaki for the week! 

Once in Darwin we were treated to 34^o and humidity a minimum of 88% - unseasonably increasing to 100% a good portion of the time!

The Conference this year was hosted by our friends from MGI Adelaide – one of whom even took the opportunity to load his car on the Ghan to make the most of the 2,979 kilometre journey.  Another example of MGI Australasians making the most of every opportunity. 

The programme had creativity at its core – Gary Bertwistle, bestselling author and action man presented for the third time to an MGI audience.  Gary worked the Group into a frenzy as the Conference theme of “Creativity and the Changing Face of Brand” was thoroughly thrashed out during the course of the Thursday sessions.  Techniques including “spider web brainstorming” (which seemed appropriate given creepy crawly aspects of the Top End) and other Bertwistle methods were harnessed to focus our collective minds on how to innovate the MGI brand and to ensure we all came away with action points to be further examined by the MGI Executive for inclusion in the imminent revision of the Australasian Area Strategic Plan. 

After an interesting session listening to Kim Hill discussing issues facing the Northern Land Council, and a full debrief of the various committee meetings, the afternoon of the final day was an opportunity for most to enjoy a cruise on the waters of the Timor Sea, with a warm breeze and cold beverages!  A minority elected to play golf (4!) – and there was another proud moment for New Zealand as our pair secured an important victory in a short match that as usual ended in a long session at the bar. 

The evening entertainment included wonderful settings.  The Darwin Sailing Club, Char Restaurant and on the final evening the shadows of a B52 Bomber were a terrific way to experience the delights of the City and surrounds with the Andrew Sisters providing a memorable musical interlude at the final soirée. 

Accompanying persons were hosted by Therese Caulfied and Philomena Bray and enjoyed several activities including investigating how crocodile skin can be put to use to make expensive women’s fashion accessories, the ins and outs of the local pearl industry and touring the local Parliament with Ryle Purich’s sister, herself a member of Parliament and able to provide expert commentary.  At other times they and their delegate partners enjoyed the splendor of the Sky City swimming pool and surrounds – cocktails and swimming costumes were de rigueur and many of those participating were murmuring about return visits to take advantage of the relaxing tropical atmosphere that appealed to all.

Thanks must go the MGI Adelaide Team for hosting yet again another highly successful MGI Conference and also to our Conference sponsor CCH whose representatives Greg Urand and Duke Ramachandran were enthusiastic participants in all Conference activities.

Nick Francis
MGI Auckland

MGI Australasia

2010-06-21