We are delighted to welcome Gary Buck as our iAwards Chief Judge. A passionate and dedicated iAwards Judge for over five years, Gary previously sat on the iAwards Judges Council, which oversees the entire iAwards judging process to ensure confidentiality, transparency and integrity. Gary was promoted to Chief Judge after Fulvio Inserra, our previous Chief Judge, was appointed Vice Chair of the Asia Pacific ICT Alliance Awards.
The iAwards engages the most experienced and respected judges across academia, community, government and industry, and Gary is no exception. His career spanned almost 30 years in a variety of Senior IT Executive roles with BHP. His CIO appointments in the mining industry saw him with responsibilities in locations like Mozambique, South Africa, Brazil, Suriname, the Canadian North West Territories, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Guinea, England, and Australia.
Since ‘retiring’, Gary has had various roles, including CIO for CPA Australia. He has also assisted global IT outsourcing specialist Wipro in penetrating the mining industry. Gary now sits on the Board of Outcomes Australia, a group dedicated to implementing global best practices that Australia has bypassed. This group has championed causes such as organ donation, soil quality, diabetes prevention, and youth mentoring. In recent times, he has provided high level business and technology advice to the Heart Foundation and National Aboriginal Community Controlled Health.
We recently caught up with Gary to discuss some frequently asked questions:
Why would you recommend entering the iAwards?
Entrants get more than a chance to measure themselves against their peers, they also have the opportunity to meet with like-minded individuals and groups from completely different industries, doing different things.
What are your top tips on how to write a compelling iAwards entry?
The judging panels comprise of very experienced IT executives, who have heard many pitches over the years. The entries need to be compelling, but succinct. Entrants also need to be careful not to overstate claims about their ‘product’, use evidence based claims instead.
What can finalists expect at the live pitch?
Only startups and students get live feedback. All other entrants are welcome to approach judges during the iAwards Gala Dinner and Awards Ceremony.
What advice would you give finalists for the live pitch?
Think of your audience, make them want to invest in your idea!
What has been your iAwards highlight so far?
I’ve liked seeing the fabulous ideas, but I really love seeing the very good ideas that are made better through their interaction with judges and fellow peers.
The iAwards early bird closes on 4 February 2019!
Get your entry in quick, you have until 21 February to refine your written responses anyway. Student entries are FREE and don’t close until 13 March. More info: www.aiia.com.au/iawards