NATIONAL CONFERENCE 2017
In conjunction with The Credit Professional of the Year 2017, our biennial National Conference was held in Auckland 12 – 13 October 2017. Following are pictures that capture some of the highlights from the two days, and the Awards and networking dinner.
Speakers
The 2017 Conference will be a hard act to follow! And in large part that is due to the unparalleled line-up of speakers who attended to share their knowledge, experience, insights and passion – across the topics in which they were each subject matter experts. We offer our heartfelt thanks and appreciation to all of the above.
The Awards
The President’s Dinner, sponsored by illion (previously Dun & Bradstreet) was a sensational dining and networking experience. And the evening also marked the return of The Credit Professional of the Year Award, made possible with the support of Rapid Results and Skills. Three applicants were finalists in the Credit Professional of the Year:
Credit Professional 2017
- Claudia Gleeson, National Credit Manager of Plumbing World
- Helen Kocks, Invoicing Team Leader at Geneva Healthcare
- Kristen Smith, Senior Credit Controller at Mutual Credit Finance Limited
The winner of the 2017 Credit Professional of the Year was Kristen Smith. Along with walking away with a stunning trophy, Kristen can now elect to undertake further professional development with a course offered by Rapid Results and/or Skills, up to Level 5 (i.e. NZQA Diploma Level).
Other presentations went to Chris Nunes, winner of the Peter Win Memorial Scholarship. And to Wendy Somerville, Peter Duckworth, Ravi Dwivedi & Rose Easter, who received Fellow Awards. Life Memberships were granted to Bruce Johnston & David Young – for their many years of service to the Institute.
The Dinner, Dancing & Networking
No Conference would be complete without a first class opportunity to mix and mingle with industry peers! New Zealand is a small place, but one in which credit teams can operate in relative isolation, without the knowledge and support that comes from knowing others in comparable roles, facing similar issues in the management of cash flow and risk. Establishing a network of others that credit employees can turn to for advice is one of the founding principals of the NZCFI. Over the course of the Thursday evening, a sumptuous meal was followed by a spot of dancing as, no doubt, friendships were forged. The possible foundation of ongoing collaborative working relationships.
Thanks to the Conference Planning Committee
This year’s National Conference was put together by a team who began meeting and planning the event back in early 2017. With assistance from Penny Jackson of NZ Conference Connexions and the NZCFI Board, our thanks goes to the team above, Ragavan Rengachariar, Steve Lawrence, Rose Easter, Gwyneth Macdonald, Michael Wright, James Cochrane and Sirisha Koripa. And also to Ravi Dwivedi, Liz Keene and Craig Sanson (not pictured).