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speaker

Catherine
DeVrye

Best-selling Author on Service, Change & Resilience for Results

MSc CSP

Do what you believe in. Believe in what you do.
Profile

Best-selling author Catherine DeVrye develops ideas, delights audiences and delivers results.

Combining Gen Y energy with baby boomer experience and wisdom, Catherine has the 'street cred' to deliver the results you want at your next conference.

Always customised to your theme - Catherine's down to earth and delightfully humorous style is thought provoking yet practical and her content has earned repeat bookings on five continents.

Current experience:

Twice voted Australian Keynote Speaker of the Year, and named by the Financial Review in 2016 as one of the Top 100 Women of Influence, Catherine is an entertaining communicator with proven international management experience in the private and public sectors - as both a female corporate executive and small business owner. She now speaks globally on customer service, disruption and resilience to boost both the bottom line and team morale in times of change.

Previous experience:

Author: Catherine is the past winner of the Australian Executive Woman of the Year Award and best-selling author of eight books translated into over a dozen languages. Her memoir, ‘Who Says I Can't?’ (Random House) was nominated for the National Biography Award. Others include ‘Good Service is Good Business’ which was a #1 best-seller in Australia and Taiwan; plus ‘Hot Lemon and Honey:Reflections For Success in Times of Change’- ‘Hope Happens! Words of Wisdom for Tough Times’- Paperclips Don't Grow on Trees:Add value not cost to your bottom line’-and her new release ‘The Gift of Nature: Inspiring hope and resilience’

Corporate: A former IBM executive, Catherine held roles in sales, marketing, communication and leadership development, spending 2 years in Tokyo as Asia Pacific HQ HR Manager. Once responsible for IBM incentive events and leadership programs, she vowed to not only deliver an entertaining, educational and motivational message from stage but to be authentic and easy to work with off stage. Thousands of testimonials from delighted clients prove that.

Adventure: A multi-faceted presenter, always in search of adventure and new material, she has cycled over the Andes, trekked to Timbuktu, beyond Everest Base Camp, swam from Europe to Asia and was given the honour of carrying the Olympic Torch on the day of the opening ceremonies of the Sydney 2000 Olympics. A cancer survivor and active surf life saver, she also has an inspirational, heart-warming story of her personal journey from an orphanage in Canada, which she sometimes shares depending on your brief.

Appointments: Catherine is also an Australia Day ambassador, featured in Who's Who of Australian Women, a former board member of the third largest police service in the world, past CEO of Young Achievement Australia, as well as working for Ministers of Consumer Affairs, Education and Sport, where she was involved in the establishment of the Life: Be In It fitness campaign.

Education: She holds a Master of Science degree and has attended short courses at Harvard University and Melbourne Mt Eliza Business School... but believes the best education is common sense! She touches the head and heart with a holistic approach to encourage action and better 'buy-in' to key management messages in times of disruption.

Clients: Clients include American Express, Australian Tourism, ANZ Bank, Austrade, BBC, Coca-Cola, Domino’s Pizza, KPMG, Hewlett Packard, IBM, 3M, Local Government, Mercedes, Neways, Qantas, Red Cross, Remax, Rolls-Royce, Royal Australian Airforce, TAFE, World Triathlon Championships...

Her versatility, diversity of experience and commitment to quality will act as a catalyst to maximise organisational and individual potential, and contribute to the success of your next event.

Real content, real fun, real life!

Expertise
Talking Points

Good Service is Good Business: Serve customers, your team and yourself

Good Service is Good Business

From the #1 best-seller of the same name, in this session delegates will learn how to learn how to:

- Use service to differentiate you from your competition
- Gain market share through authentic engagement and exceeding customer expectations
- Increase brand loyalty by turning complaints into opportunities
- Combine the high tech and high touch
- Many players and divisions-but one united team
- Eliminate waste & stimulate value-minor improvements for major impacts
- Boost the bottom line and staff morale without increasing cost
- Create customers for life-and a life for yourself!

Shift Happens-Conquer the Challenge of Change: professional and personal leadership

Shift Happens-Conquer the Challenge of Change/Disruption

From another best-seller, ‘Hot Lemon & Honey…Reflections for Success in Times of Change’ helps individuals cope with personal and professional change. The late Sir Edmund Hillary said: ‘information in this book can lead you on the road to success’ and Jack Canfield, co-author of ‘Chicken Soup for the Soul’, comments: ‘full of vitamins for the mind.’ Attendees will see that:

- The 7 most expensive words in business are… ’We have always done it that way’
- Change is inevitable. Learning from change is optional
- Winners become victors from change-rather than victims of change
- As stakeholder expectations change, differentiate between adding value or adding cost
- Turn common sense into common practice
- Fight complacency... Success today does not equal success tomorrow

Resilience for Results: Turn Obstacles to Opportunities Through Hope & Humour

Resilience for Results: Turn Obstacles to Opportunities Through Hope and Humour

From the bestsellers Who Says I Can’t/Hope as My Compass and Hope Happens!…Words of Encouragement for Tough Times, and The Gift of Nature: Inspiring Hope & Resilience’…attendees hear how to be more optimistic - but remain realistic-as Catherine shares an inspirational personal story, which can be applied to our working lives.

From early days in an orphanage in Canada-to an education in the USA-to her parents dying of cancer the year she graduated from university-to arriving in Australia jobless and near penniless-to an international career with IBM in Japan-to carrying the Olympic torch, the former Australian Executive Woman of the Year outlines:
- We can’t always control circumstances-but we can always control our attitude
- Focus on what you can do-rather than waste energy on what you can’t do
- Focus on the positive to produce professional and personal success

Incorporating analogies from working with street kids in Vietnam, trekking to Timbuktu, cycling over the Andes, swimming from Europe to Asia, sailing to the Antarctic and climbing Mt. Kilimanjaro and beyond Everest Base Camp, participants are reminded not to make mountains out of molehills
Media
Feedback
‘Captivated entire audience until the very end…remarkable presenter who reinforced our key messages and delivers beyond the expected. Professional yet relaxed style. Excellent entertainer and also touches people’s hearts! AUDIO CLINIC

‘Thank you for your talk on achievement strategies for success…This is the first time KPMG Malaysia or Singapore has ever given a standing ovation to any speaker since our inception in 1970’s.’

KPMG SINGAPORE AND MALAYSIA

‘A big thank you for adding value to conference-not only for the content but also your entertaining delivery that kept everyone fully engaged. Our partners are fully motivated with new skills and crucial reminders that will help sharpen their skills to ensure Rolls-Royce retains its pinnacle position.’

ROLLS-ROYCE

‘You sowed the seed of change... The quality program developed from these beginnings will result in a 40-50% improvement in productivity.’

WESTPAC FINANCIAL SERVICES

‘Powerful & dynamic presenter who leaves a lasting impression; even our most negative team members were impressed…Thank you for a tremendous contribution to our business & the participative culture we have developed. Part of our success is due to your involvement & I am most grateful.’

AMERICAN EXPRESS TRAVEL
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