Torrens University Australia Master of Business Administration student, Jessica Vassallo’s experience as a Speaker’s Assistant to Gary Hamel, number one ranked “most influential business thinker” by Wall Street Journal at the World Business Forum Sydney 2014 Meeting with the other Torrens University Ambassadors first thing Monday morning at the airport, I had mixed feelings of excitement and nervousness. We each had a vague idea of what was expected of us but at the same time felt like we knew very little. We knew that this would be an unforgettable week and were keen to get to Sydney. Our first day at the World Business Forum (WBF) venue was spent meeting WBF staff and getting details about the structure of the Forum and what we would be required to do. After what seemed an agonising wait, it was announced which speakers we would each be paired with. The speaker I was to be paired with was Gary Hamel. Due to the nature of my work, I had some knowledge of Gary Hamel’s work, but we also each received a briefing pack on our speakers, which was extremely precise with to-­‐the-­‐minute agendas including travel time, activities and locations. The first night we had an enjoyable dinner together before retreating to our rooms to do some much needed research and preparation on our speakers. Tuesday the venue started taking shape with sponsors arriving to set-­‐up promotional booths. With some speakers arriving that afternoon this would be the last time the group of Ambassadors would be together until the end of the Forum. We had another day of briefings that included final modifications to itineraries and trial runs to ensure we knew where each location was and the easiest routes there. Wednesday was the first day of the WBF. With more than 2000 attendees the venue was filling fast and it became obvious that keeping speakers to their timed agenda would be a challenge. I was fortunate enough to be able to attend Lyn Heward’s presentation before heading off to the airport to meet Gary and escort him to his hotel. 1 | P a g e Standing at the airport I was extremely nervous and not sure what to expect. The anxiousness, which I felt, was unwarranted. Gary met me with a warm smile and the car ride to the hotel was a friendly exchange of conversation on travel, speeches, experiences and university life. Later that night I chaperoned Gary to a sponsor dinner where he was doing a speech. Although attending as his assistant, I couldn’t help but take notes. He is such an intelligent person you can’t help but take notice when he spoke. Thursday was Gary’s busy day with a tight schedule. His presentation was in the morning followed by a sponsor lunch presentation, book signing and media interviews. By the end of the day, I think both Gary and myself were exhausted but pleased with how the day went. We exchanged contact details and I breathed a sigh of relief that everything went well and although at times it was stressful and hectic I really enjoyed my time with Gary and the opportunity to represent Torrens University Australia at such a prestigious event. 2 | P a g e