As you guys know, I work at the NPCA and I am involved with some pretty amazing events. I’d always hoped I would be able to say I was instrumental in the planning of an event with world famous people on our stage, but I’ll be honest, I never in a million years thought it’d be someone this cool.
Bill Gates addressing the country
I knew something was up when I was arranging teleconferences to the USA for our CEO who seemed to be in and out of secret meetings, not to mention the Cheshire cat grin he carried for weeks on end (before it was announced), all he would say when we bugged him about it was ‘we’ve landed a whale’.
The team were all under strict instructions not to share this little gem, not even with family; apparently no one was to know.
Just 19 days before Bill Gates was expected to land in Australia, my small management team were pulled in for a closed door meeting to find out just who this speaker was… I’m not going to lie, we were all practically wetting ourselves in anticipation! ‘Team’ the boss says, ’I am pleased to announce’ (hands tapping on the board table full drumroll style…. ); ‘Mr Bill Gates will be addressing the country at the Press Club broadcast on May 28, 2013′.
Nooooooooo WAY… *insert squeals here*… That’s Awesome… Riiiiigggght?!
Just a normal guy – Hangin’ out waiting to talk to Aussies about his ‘job’.
Bill Gates was doing a whirlwind 48hr trip to Australia to promote his focus on philanthropy, life post Microsoft and to talk about Smart Aid and Australia’s Leadership and Innovation for the world’s poorest.
Here at the Press Club, it’s not uncommon for the talent to have some special requests, for example; the green room to be set to an exact temperature, a certain type lounge chair or lighting, and of course specialty beverages and sometimes really random catering. I don’t know about you, but I had high expectations as to just what special catering requests the worlds richest man would want to eat for lunch. We were all guessing, would it be Lobster Thermidor, Chateaubriand, Foi Gras perhaps?
Nope… He wanted a cheese burger and a coke, what a legend!
And we are live….
Now I can’t claim to meeting Bill Gates personally, but I can say I assisted in the operational side of organising this event, and I was one of 547 to share a bite with this extraordinary man. Living the dream I am…. The Bill Gates National Press Club of Australia address to the country was a huge success. BOOM…. Another tick for my bucket list!
Have you got a bucket list? If yes, what is the coolest thing you have been able to successfully tick off and say you’ve achieved?
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