The year ahead: five questions with our CEO, Laz Cotsios

12 January 2023
SMCT CEO, Laz Cotsios, outside Café Vita et flores SBC

We thought there was no better way to start the year than to hear from our CEO, Laz Cotsios, on his vision for the year ahead, and on that very important January question – his new year’s resolution for 2023.

1. How do you see 2023 as being different?

This year, we will finally have stability within our executive leadership team. This means we can plan and execute with confidence knowing we have a capable and supportive team here to see things through each step of the way.

2. What will be a key focus for us this year?

I see three important areas of focus for us this year. The first will be the development of our five-year strategic plan; second, is continuing the work of identifying and planning for the development of a new memorial park in Melbourne’s south-east; and three, delivering Revolve and beginning to see important customer benefit outcomes as a result.

3. What are you most excited about in 2023?

I am excited about a number of things in 2023, including the official opening of our All Souls Mausoleum, the completion of our Reconciliation Action Plan and the delivery of our future plan. Above all and foremost, however, the two things I am most excited about are, one, Revolve and the step-change this will enable in the customer experience space; and two, having a great leadership team that will work closely with all our stakeholders to ensure SMCT has a sustainable and exciting future.

4. What will be our biggest challenge?

We have two interesting but exciting challenges in 2023. One will be delivering the next phases of Revolve along with the associated cultural change for our organisation that this will mean; and two, finding a suitable site to support our growth while gaining stakeholder and community support to create a memorial park of the future for Victoria.

5. It’s a time when many of us are thinking about one thing we’d like to change or do differently in 2023, do you have a new year’s resolution?

Last week, I had the opportunity to attend Frank Maycock’s funeral. Frank is known to many of us as an esteemed colleague who managed the operational aspects of our multi-sites. It was a wonderful celebration of Frank’s life at which we heard from his family and friends about his life and his devotion to family. He was an amazing man who achieved many things. It caused me to reflect on the importance of family and good friends and was a reminder that our time on this earth is uncertain and that we should live life to its fullest, showing the people we love how much they mean to us on a regular basis.

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