Q. Sonja, you’ve been to a number of CASE conferences all over the world while you have been with Richmond Associates. How was this one different?

SONJA: This was a bit of a transitional year for CASE Asia Pacific with their new Executive Director and reimagining of the programme they decided to do things a bit differently- the format was more hands on with interactive workshops as well as traditional presentations. Another difference I felt this time was that, given we have been able to attend these regularly, our relationships have really grown. There were many more friendly, familiar faces while at the same time we were able to build new networks.

Q. Julie, you have been with Richmond Associates for over 6 years, the last 2 with our Australia office. How important was it for you to attend the CASE conference in Hong Kong this year?

JULIE: Attending the conferences both in Europe and in Australasia definitely gives you a really broad understanding and perspective of the sector. The intel that we gather, the connections we make, particularly being in person, makes it all the more important. For me personally, I connected with it a lot more than reading or listening to content online.

I attended Singapore last year and Hong Kong this year and both visits helped me to understand more about the HE and schools’ sectors, the institutions and individuals within them, across Australia and Asia. It was also great to spend time with my colleagues. I saw a number of team members from different organisations bonding more because they were travelling together- there was an element of this for us too.

Q. Sonja and Julie, what were your key take aways from the conference?

SONJA: There was a strong focus on transformational philanthropy. It was heartening to see organisations talk about big philanthropy and international partnerships that support what they do. It really demonstrated that there are very interesting things happening in philanthropy in all parts of the world, not just in North America.
JULIE: The sector is in a better place than we might think- there was a real positive energy. There has been a lot of negativity in the media about the education sector- international student caps and funding for example. It was encouraging to experience the positive energy behind the attendees and the presentations, despite everything we’re hearing.

Q. 4. Sonja and Julie, what advice would you give someone attending the CASE Conference for the first time?

JULIE: Do some reading about who is going to be there in advance. Think about what you want to get out of the conference- LinkedIn is your friend! Make the most of the tools given to you to learn as much as you can before you go. And go with an open mind.
SONJA: Conferences can be daunting- it can feel tricky to break into conversations or to speak to presenters. Do try though- the more you attend and the more conversations you have, the more you build a community. Also, don’t only go to content that is directly relevant to your area- go to other areas of advancement too. People are very willing to share– they will pass on contact details to ensure a continued discussion.

Q. Any key highlights from you both from the conference?

JULIE: Sonja and I presented at the conference and a few attendees came up afterwards and let us know how much they enjoyed the talk which was really lovely. They found it really helpful and useful and wanted to connect. It can be hard accommodating the needs of people in different regions so it was great to get such a positive response.

What did you present?
We talked about what attendees might be looking for in terms of their career goals and some of the steps and thinking behind how they can get there. It was very interactive as we encouraged attendees to establish a career plan and timeline, aiming to get to where they want to be years down the track. There was a real mix of people attending- some people at a senior level, others just starting out.
SONJA: The highlight for me was the people. I always come away from these conferences reminded as to why we do what we do and why we do it in the area we do it in, both as a business and individually within our team. We take a relationship-based approach to getting to know candidates and organisations- it is such a strong community.

Q. Sonja, you touched on this a little in the last question but as Managing Director of Richmond Associates, why is it important for the company to be represented at CASE conferences such as these, particularly in the Asia Pacific region?

SONJA: It shows our commitment to the sector and why we exist as a key partner within the advancement ecosystem. We need to stay on top of the innovations in Advancement- how do we know what excellent looks like in a candidate if we don’t know what excellent looks like? It is also good for our own professional development. The Asia Pacific is such a huge region with so much diversity and different cultures- it is a very complex area. It is important to have a consistent presence and to be committed to the region. Our Asia office is newer and is still an emerging business for us to it is important for us to be there.

Q. Finally, best thing about Hong Kong?!

JULIE: The food- we had amazing food! I’ve never really been into dumplings but I had a lot of dumplings! Also the view across the Victoria Harbour. Even though we were in a bustling city we could see the sky!
SONJA: the food- dumplings man! The energy and the community.