Welcome Notes

Tania de Jong AM, Founder & Executive Producer Ci Global

We are excited and delighted to invite you to join us at the Paris ­end of Melbourne in beautiful spring. This really is the best time of the year to be in marvellous Melbourne. Creative Innovation 2016 Asia Pacific will take place 7-9 November. The theme for Ci2016 is “The Exponential Shift”. Giant Disruption always heralds huge opportunities. But are we ready? This very important conversation is designed to bring about a manifesto for change in ourselves, our organisations, our communities and our world.

We were so thrilled that Ci2015 was named Corporate Event of the Year in the Australian Event Awards and as one of the Anthill SMART 100! It certainly is an incredible honour and tribute to all of our amazing Creative Innovation Global team.

Ci2016 will be the place to connect, create, disrupt, change, explore, question, share, grow, learn…and then take action! A place to be entertained and inspired. A place to re­invent and shape the sustainable future we want. Join big and small business, entrepreneurs, educators, creative and government leaders, the next generation of leaders and leading thinkers from all around the world, Asia and Australia for ‘positive human collisions’ that will change the course of the future!

Ci2016 is a cross-­sector, community ­wide program and the cross­-pollination of ideas at this event is a significant factor for anyone wishing to innovate and develop more of a culture of collaboration, entrepreneurship and innovation.

The challenge of the 21st century is to transform our organisations to adapt flexibly and rapidly to the ever-­changing, complex and volatile environments we face. We will have to reduce cost structures while increasing productivity, adopt new ways of working and invent sustainable new business models that challenge old ways of thinking.

In the workplace, creativity is the most powerful tool an individual or organisation can have. Around the world there is a growing recognition that we need to develop our creativity and learn to innovate…or die! Creative, courageous leadership is the strategic tool of the 21st Century.

This is a rare opportunity to learn, connect and share ideas across sectors with some of the world’s most influential thinkers and innovators under one roof.

As John M. Richardson said: “When it comes to the future, there are three kinds of people: those who let it happen, those who make it happen, and those who wonder what happened.”

We look forward to co­-creating the future with you at this inspirational global event.