Daily Archives: July 31, 2017

"In one day FutureWorld took me to a different horizon and left me recharged and inspired."

Serpil TimurayGM, Danone Turkey.

Extremely rich in examples of disruptive change.

Delegates to executive leadership programme at the Stockholm School of Economics - February 2016

"Phenomenal! Easily the BEST speaker, and the most informative, thought provoking presentation of the entire week!"

Management delegates at the Murray & Roberts Knowledge Week

"The Naked Leadership presentation this morning was brilliant, not just in content but the way it was put together, both in structure and the use of different media. Congratulations!"

Peter GettliffeMTN

"An excellent presentation on what the future could be for us, and a relevant insight for us to define our critical 'Must Win Battles'"

Olivier DespondsHead, Nestle Nutrition Africa

"Wow! That was great! I loved listening to your ideas! That was the most important set of concepts that I've heard anyone talk about in a long time."

Greg HomanDirector, Emerging Technologies, Nextel Communications

"This process paid for itself three times in 18 months."

David HathornCEO & Chairman, Mondi SA/Europe

"FutureWorld - yours is a truly visionary and amazing enterprise!

Tanya van der SpuySenior lecturer in tax at the University of Pretoria

"Your presentation was a perfect close to a near perfect conference. I could not have been happier about the content or your lively and engaging presentation."

Anthony TurnerCEO Europe, Publicitas Promotion Network

"Inspiring and thought-provoking session. You set a great tone for our two day session."

Wendy MartinSenior Vice President, Visa Europe

"Without this process, Deloitte's own revenues would be R260m less."

Vassi NaidooFormer CEO, Deloitte SA

"You intoxicated me with your future message at the 2008 East African Business Submit in Kampala, and I have been living in the future ever since!"

Tom MulwaMD, Liaison Financial Services Group, Kenya

"I really enjoyed your 'Future of Media' presentation. The material was well researched, interestingly formatted and your deliver was absolutely great. Well done!"

Wayne St JohnPast chair, Tourism Association of Canada

"I haven't seen the challenges and opportunities of future business, communities and people so powerfully presented before. FutureWorlds life cycles reminded me exactly of what went right and wrong in our business."

Dame Anita RoddickFounder of The Body Shop

"Practical and inspirational. Highly relevant if you don't want someone else eating your cheese."

Radames SotoCEO Wall Street Journal.com

"Thank you for such a thought-inspiring presentation. We received many, many comments from our delegates."

Beverley FurmanHead: Supervision, Strate

"Very good session on running exponential initiatives in large organisations."

Delegates to executive leadership programme at the Stockholm School of Economics - February 2016

"Everyone was in awe of your keynote presentation and couldn't stop talking about it; not just on the day but also during the remainder of the workshop."

Shafeeka ArnoldBritish American Tobacco SA

"The two-day Leader of the Future programme was inspirational! The content and tools are real and practical to implement. It would be a travesty for us not to take the learnings and apply them to become even better leaders!"

Alec JoannuGroup CIO, Sasol

"Inspiring and thought-provoking. Your session set a great tone for our two day session."

Wendy MartinSenior Vice President, Visa Europe

"Overwhelmed, useful and practical"

Commissioners of Inland Revenue India - May 2013

Absolutely amazing! Engaging and an eye-opener!

Senior UAE Government officialattending a leadership program organised by Oxford University's Said Business School

"We have gotten wonderful reviews from your session. It has been inspiring for us all."

Alan TanHR executive, SingTel

"By far and away the best session I have had on future thinking."

Delegate to an executive programme at the Stockholm School of Economics, June 2015

"You don't know how much value you added! You have blown my socks off!"

Izak SmitCEO, ABSA Life

"The process helped us to establish five new businesses in 18 months."

Leon VermaakCEO, Telesure

"FutureWorld's 'Radical Future' is another masterpiece of intelligent thinking."

Leif AlmCEO ScandNet AB

"LOVED this session, best I've ever experienced!!"

Delegate comment from the 2012 International Internal Audit convention in Boston, USA.

"In previous consulting relationships there has always been an obsession with driving costs down. Our partnership with FutureWorld goes way beyond that, to a constant drive towards new ideas and new revenue opportunities. It's amazing how much we have learnt from the future. That's unique in my experience, and great fun."

Bernard Swanepoelformer CEO Harmony Gold Limited

"Thanks also for your great presentation at the LBS which I have not only enjoyed but which has also inspired me a lot (does not happen that often!)."

Thomas BeckerWartsila

"Neil presented to a group of Deloitte partners from all over the world, and had them enthralled for two hours. He left them with new thoughts and new possibilities. His presentation was most stimulating."

Miles CrispDeloittes partner

Neil was succinct, direct and motivating.

Senior UAE Government officialattending a leadership program organised by Oxford University's Said Business School

"Breathtaking presentation. Great insight into future and how you can try and shape it. The future is nearby and we have to deal with that. We must spend at least 10% of our time understanding the future!"

London Business SchoolSenior Executive Programme

"Anton -We thoroughly enjoyed your brilliant, thought-provoking presentation.You ended our convention on a very high note, thank you so much.I have seen many, many presenters in my 27 years in the industry and you are most certainly one of THE BEST!"

Anton SwanepoelChairman, Financial Planning Institute Convention

"The feedback we received about your opening keynote across the board is fantastic. Our delegates loved your style and are inspired. It was of highest value to have you with us, thank you!"

Stefan LeppCEO, Clearstream, the clearing and settlement division of Deutsche Bourse

"Fantastic and insightful; extremely relevant in our context."

Peter SandsGroup CEO, Standard Chartered Bank

"Thanks again for the wonderful presentation - it is the only one I have been able to sit through in at least five years. You are really good."

Jalene MedalieManager - Special Projects, Sasfin Frankel Pollak Securities

"Very thought provoking! Now I am alive to new developments and how to leverage technology.

RK PadmanabhanExecutive Director, Securities and Exchange Board of India, Mumbai, India

"Very well presented (most capturing presentation) and real food for thought."

Delegates to executive leadership programme at the Stockholm School of Economics - February 2016

"An excellent presentation and a completely new way of thinking about the world. You provided vision and encouraged us to leave our comfort zones."Feedback from delegates to the SAD Business School Programme for the

Deloitte M&A EMEA teamAthens, October 2008

"Thanks again for your inspirational session in Mumbai.

Jules GoddardProfessor London Business School

"Opened my mind to what we still need to do to remain relevant."

Delegate to Standard Bank New Executives' conference

"Thank you for an insightful and thought provoking presentation. You have given us much to think about to adapt to meet the future needs of our market."

Ravi MoodleyHead of Strategy Nedbank Corporate Banking

"This was the most powerful presentation I have ever seen. You have absolutely shaken us out of complacency. We must 'think future' everyday, not just at annual retreats. There is no yesterday, only tomorrow."

Kitty ChoiHead, Efficiency Unit, Hong Kong Government

"Congratulations on a riveting presentation! I really enjoyed the session."

Leon SteynDivisional Executive: Human Resources, Prestige Cleaning Services (Pty) Ltd.

"This was the best, most provocative summary ever about (the future of) China."

William KistlerPresident, Urban Land Institute, Europe

"Thank you for another magical morning and interaction. Your lessons are now becoming part of our DNA and it is making a difference in allowing us to always plan ahead and create our own realities. Interoperability and cooperation is now our mantra."

Monica SingerChief Executive Officer, Strate Ltd

"Your presentation has been rated 'undeniably the best' at this year's Innovation Summit. Wow! That's what you did to our audience!"

Helena GabrielsPublisher, SA Innovator Magazine

Great opportunity to look over the garden wall.

Delegates to executive leadership programme at the Stockholm School of Economics - February 2016

"Thanks for an amazingly inspiring and informative presentation"

Cheryl StilesDivisional Marketing Manager, Nampak Cartons & Labels

Read more:
FutureWorld - Is your business FUTUREPROOF

HR professionals must create the right balance between the human touch and technology, says Christine Ip, CEO Greater China, United Overseas Bank.

As with almost any function in an organisation, the use of technology can transform how companies operate and what they can achieve. Professionals in human resources need to understand the potential use of technology, its relevance and be able to adapt it swiftly to help advise the business accordingly and to drive business outcomes.

Take recruitment as an example. Many organisations with an overseas presence are using technology to reduce the cost of hiring.

United Overseas Bank Hong Kong is no exception. The bank makes use of Skype and FaceTime to interview candidates at the preliminary stage of the hiring process. This allows the bank to widen its potential talent pool and is convenient when the bank is interviewing overseas candidates.

Technology is also used for various human resources initiatives within the organisation. Last year, UOB launched a new and interactive intranet portal to strengthen employee engagement in its offices and branches across the world.

In Greater China, the bank also engages its employees through a WeChat enterprise account. This ensures employees obtain timely information while they are on the go.

However, while technology can be used to improve processes and to broaden the reach of employee engagement programmes, it cannot replace entirely the people skills of human resources professionals.

After all, strong communication skills are essential for success in the relationship-driven sector. The bankers should be able to convey complex financial and market information in a way that is easy for clients to understand and apply to their businesses.

Personal interaction still plays an important role in employee engagement and team building. The bank organises regular town halls and interactive face-to-face forums with senior management, as well as team-building exercises and festive celebrations to enhance the connection and trust between employees.

Building trust starts at the individual level. It is like a drop of water in a pond which then has a ripple effect. Through character, competency and consistency, trust is built with others, across teams, in the marketplace and with the community.

By creating the right balance between the human touch and technology, human resources professionals can help a company attract the right people, keep them engaged and be more competitive.

The June 2017 issue of Human Resources magazine is a special edition, bringing you interviews with 12 HR leaders, with their predictions on the future of HR.

ReadThe Futuristor subscribe here.

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Read more from the original source:
The Futurist: Why human resources is a people's job - Human Resources Online

Marty Sklar, arguably one of the most influential people to work at the Disney Company aside from Walt Disney himself, died this weekend. He was 83.

Marty Sklar in front of Sleeping Beauty's Castle at Disneyland on July 11, 2005 (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)

Sklar started at Disney just a month before Disneyland opened in 1955 and would work his way up to becoming one of the most tireless and dedicated storytellers at the company. Sometimes described as Walt's "right hand man," Sklar started by writing speeches for Disney and eventually became President of Imagineering, the creative wing of the multifaceted entertainment company.

Along with Walt, Sklar helped produce the ambitious 1966 film that was shown to investors and government officials to get them interested in EPCOT, the Experimental Prototype Community of Tomorrow. The original vision of EPCOT as a living laboratory would be neutered, but the theme park is still a point of inspiration for futurists and retro-futurists alike.

"Walt Disney had one foot in the past, because he loved nostalgia, and one foot in the future, because he loved new technology," Sklar told Esquire in 2015.

The original EPCOT film can be viewed on YouTube.

Sklar helped oversee the development of virtually every modern Disney park from the construction of Tokyo Disneyland and Disneyland Paris to expansion parks in the United States like Disney-MGM Studios and Disney's Animal Kingdom in Florida, as well as Disney's California Adventure park in Anaheim.

"Marty was the ultimate Disney Imagineer and Cast Member. From his days working as an intern with Walt to just two weeks ago engaging with fans at D23 Expo, Marty left an indelible mark on Disney Parks around the globe and on all of the guests who make memories every day with us," Bob Chapek, chairman of Walt Disney Parks and Resorts, said in a statement.

"He was one of the few people that was fortunate to attend the opening of every single Disney park in the world, from Anaheim in 1955 to Shanghai just last year," Chapek said. "We will dearly miss Marty's passion, skill and imaginative spark that inspired generations of Cast, Crew and Imagineers."

From the Disney Parks blog:

Born in New Brunswick, N.J., on February 6, 1934, Marty was a student at UCLA and editor of its Daily Bruin newspaper when he was recruited to create The Disneyland News for Walt's new theme park in 1955. After graduating in 1956, he joined Disney full-time and would go on to serve as Walt's right-hand man scripting speeches, marketing materials and a film showcasing Walt's vision for Walt Disney World and Epcot.

During this period, he also joined WED Enterprises, the forerunner of Walt Disney Imagineering, and he would later become the creative leader of Imagineering, leading the development of Disney theme parks and attractions for the next three decades.

He retired as Executive Vice President and Imagineering Ambassador on July 17, 2009, Disneyland's 54th birthday. Disney marked the occasion by paying tribute to Marty with the highest Parks and Resorts recognition, dedicating a window in his name on Disneyland's City Hall.

RIP Marty Sklar. Thanks for your optimistic visions of tomorrow, something that seems harder and harder to conjure in the upside down world of 2017.

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Residents of Elan Tower in Sydney's Kings Cross are used to 100Mbps download speeds, thanks to the hybrid fibre coaxial cable they paid Telstra to install six years ago. Now the building is being forced onto NBN's copper-based fibre-to-the-building network. The copper telephone wire in the building, travelling up 40 floors, is 20 years old.

Qantas and Virgin have both confirmed via statements that passengers will need to arrive at the airport two hours before a domestic flight to allow for additional security screening. The amped-up security measures were put in place by the Australian Government after four people were arrested in connection to a suspected terrorist plot to bring down an aircraft.

Originally posted here:
Marty Sklar, Disney Legend And Futurist, Dies At 83 | Gizmodo ... - Gizmodo Australia