A year of exploration and curiosity
As we turn the page on a new year and look ahead to new challenges and opportunities, we caught up with our Acting Chief Transformation and Projects Officer, James Balazs, to get his thoughts on the year ahead and find out what exciting things await in 2022.
In so many ways, 2021 was a year of change and exploration, what do you think the theme for 2022 will be?
I think change is constant and the need to be curious and to explore is as well. In many ways I feel that this theme of exploration and curiosity will remain in 2022. For me, this is also a year about forging ahead with key projects. It’s about the start of a new chapter.
What lesson from 2021 can we take into this year?
The importance of taking the time to look after ourselves and of looking out for one another.
What will be our challenge this year?
That is a great question. I think back on how I would have answered it at this time two years ago—when COVID was just around the corner. I wouldn’t have said ‘having to successfully navigate a once in a hundred-year pandemic’. The last couple of years have taught me that the biggest challenge is accepting that there will always be unknowns and that we need to remain focused on the things we can control and be more open to and accepting of change as a natural part of our evolution.
What should we be most excited about in 2022?
Where to begin – there is a lot to be excited about. We have so many amazing projects kicking off this year that are really going to transform both the customer and employee experience in the long term. Through Revolve and our People strategy alone, we are going to see some amazing wins starting to take shape. There are also several very exciting infrastructure and stock projects to look forward to including completion of Stage One of our All Souls Mausoleum and ‘Reflections’, an extension to our Gardens of no Distant Place, just to name a few. That said, what I’m most excited about is simply the opportunity to continue to work with such amazing people.
What’s one professional and personal hope/goal you have for the year ahead?
On a professional level, I can’t wait to see us move into the implementation phase of the Revolve Program this year and to see our other strategic projects take further shape. Personally, I’m hoping that my daughter will finally be able to relocate from Sydney to Melbourne, something that has been on the cards since February 2020 but hasn’t been possible due to COVID.