Colin Savage
👤 SpeakerAppearances Over Time
Podcast Appearances
During the early 90s in Saskatchewan, a lot of people looked for opportunities elsewhere. And even if I look at sort of my high school graduating class, 60-70% of them stayed in their city and went to our local university. Another chunk maybe went to a university nearby or a neighboring province. And a very small bit even left elsewhere in Canada, like you mentioned, Ontario.
During the early 90s in Saskatchewan, a lot of people looked for opportunities elsewhere. And even if I look at sort of my high school graduating class, 60-70% of them stayed in their city and went to our local university. Another chunk maybe went to a university nearby or a neighboring province. And a very small bit even left elsewhere in Canada, like you mentioned, Ontario.
But very few people went further than that. I finished university armed with a great liberal arts degree and a degree in English literature, which obviously at the time when everybody was banging down my door to give me a job, But I needed to go, I needed to go somewhere else. So I left with that degree and with some other experience and decided to test Asia.
But very few people went further than that. I finished university armed with a great liberal arts degree and a degree in English literature, which obviously at the time when everybody was banging down my door to give me a job, But I needed to go, I needed to go somewhere else. So I left with that degree and with some other experience and decided to test Asia.
There's a long story and it's all through my LinkedIn profile. People can read it, but I managed to over the 20 years build up what I call seven, seven, 70. So I lived in seven countries. I was seconded to seven others and I worked in project 70 nations around the world. put it up and make it simple for others to follow. There's three threads that go through my background.
There's a long story and it's all through my LinkedIn profile. People can read it, but I managed to over the 20 years build up what I call seven, seven, 70. So I lived in seven countries. I was seconded to seven others and I worked in project 70 nations around the world. put it up and make it simple for others to follow. There's three threads that go through my background.
One of them was academics and education. I was heavily involved in my own academic. I studied for three master's degrees in various areas. I worked as a lecturer in universities and countries across Southeast Asia and Japan where I spent almost nine years. Then there was
One of them was academics and education. I was heavily involved in my own academic. I studied for three master's degrees in various areas. I worked as a lecturer in universities and countries across Southeast Asia and Japan where I spent almost nine years. Then there was
It's more of a business thread, which involved business development, marketing, market research in a number of industries, which all, looking back, link a little bit to each other, but at times were also quite different. Particularly because they also not include just all over the private sector, but also working with government and governments across different countries they lived in.
It's more of a business thread, which involved business development, marketing, market research in a number of industries, which all, looking back, link a little bit to each other, but at times were also quite different. Particularly because they also not include just all over the private sector, but also working with government and governments across different countries they lived in.
And then finally, the other thread would probably be something where I would think, and it's more aligned with this podcast almost directly. is strategy and change. While I'm working in industries or moving from one to the other, I noticed that things were evolving.
And then finally, the other thread would probably be something where I would think, and it's more aligned with this podcast almost directly. is strategy and change. While I'm working in industries or moving from one to the other, I noticed that things were evolving.
An example would be I spent time leading a team of analysts out of London in the UK that focused on telecommunications across the world. So I had a team of 40 people. They were all dedicated and focused on individual countries or market. And they were all coming back to me with similar, but also at times very different analysis of how those markets were changing.
An example would be I spent time leading a team of analysts out of London in the UK that focused on telecommunications across the world. So I had a team of 40 people. They were all dedicated and focused on individual countries or market. And they were all coming back to me with similar, but also at times very different analysis of how those markets were changing.
Data was becoming part of what you could put on your mobile phone or you could start searching the internet. And this led me into financial services, where while I was with a quite traditional Japanese major licensure, there was fintech visible. And fintech led to things like regtech, where we're doing regulation.
Data was becoming part of what you could put on your mobile phone or you could start searching the internet. And this led me into financial services, where while I was with a quite traditional Japanese major licensure, there was fintech visible. And fintech led to things like regtech, where we're doing regulation.
Through all of these different evolutions and changes, there were little things that led me from one to the other. But also, I'm really honest to say that a little bit of looking in the rear view of the mirror and seeing you afterward. At the time, it was just a lot of change. And I know today, Vince, we're going to talk about something that I mentioned in Change Addict to Change Guru.
Through all of these different evolutions and changes, there were little things that led me from one to the other. But also, I'm really honest to say that a little bit of looking in the rear view of the mirror and seeing you afterward. At the time, it was just a lot of change. And I know today, Vince, we're going to talk about something that I mentioned in Change Addict to Change Guru.
I really was a change addict in a sense. When I left Canada in 1984... I just threw caution to the wind and went. Hit Thailand. I packed the suitcase. I went there. I had no, I knew nothing about the language, culture, the working environment or anything. I not only changed the city I lived in, but the country, the culture, the language, the industry and everything at once.
I really was a change addict in a sense. When I left Canada in 1984... I just threw caution to the wind and went. Hit Thailand. I packed the suitcase. I went there. I had no, I knew nothing about the language, culture, the working environment or anything. I not only changed the city I lived in, but the country, the culture, the language, the industry and everything at once.