Professional services firm EY wraps up Future Realised event

Featuring an all star line-up including Sir Bib Geldof, Alan Joyce and EY’s own Tony Johnson, the Future Realised event aimed to promote the concept, “Nobody can predict the future, but those who can imagine it, can shape it.”

Ernst & Young’s event, Future Realised was held on the 26th of November on Cockatoo Island in Sydney Harbour. The event drew business and industry thought leaders from both Australia as well as internationally and would prompt attendees in a fast moving world to take one day to shift their perspective and see new possibilities.

Future Realised was billed to be a disruptive and experience-based event. Exploring how transition in business from a current to a future business model, recognising the unique challenges leaders face and the need to look at the future differently. It aimed to facilitate small group discussions on big issues and rather than a keynote speaker event, be driven by immersive learning.

To break the barriers which stifle innovation, EY leader Tony Johnson and a diverse group of peers including corporate, start-up CEOs, government and community leaders designed the experience to lead to unexpected ideas. It also went beyond business to unravel the world in which we live, and aimed to reinstate trust and transparency within our organisations and in the communities we operate in.

The professional services firm ran the event as a means to develop a necessary dialogue and vowed that they would not be dodging the difficult questions. Singer, philanthropist and political activist Sir Bob Geldof was the events main act who prior to the event expressed his excitement to get involved in such a unique opportunity.

“I’ll be coming down to Ernst & Young’s Future Realised event in November to talk about some of these changes that have finally given a shape to the 21st century. And the key issue is of course artificial intelligence and technology,” Geldof said. “It’s all the play for and it’s all to be understood. This future, that’s rapidly taking shape in front of us but we don’t seem to understand or get a handle of…and therefore we become fearful of it.”

Tony Johnson said on Twitter, “Fantastic to be with clients, partners, alumni & renowned thought leaders for #FutureRealised including great contributions by Sir Bob Geldof and Alan Joyce. Looking forward to a conversation with @JulieBishopMP this afternoon.”

Former Foreign Minister Julie Bishop took to the stage to take the event to a conclusion. She touched on a range of subjects including Julia Banks’ decision to leave the Liberal party, Australia’s lack of energy policy and Australian’s distrust of its democratic institutions.

Motioning towards having a clear and stable Australian government she said, “The ground must be fertile to have a negotiation because business is demanding certainty. Business needs confidence to make investments in generating capacity.” She also promoted creating a less divided environment in Canberra which would increase investor confidence and drive growth.

This she said was in contrast to what was currently happening in the United States where “The country is deeply polarised. They might as well be two different countries. We need to have sensible debates about issues. I think we will respect a politician who says I am going to tell you the truth not what you want to hear.”