1 00:00:03,830 --> 00:00:06,450 Sean Aylmer: Welcome to the Fear and Greed daily interview. I'm Sean 2 00:00:06,550 --> 00:00:09,039 Sean Aylmer: Aylmer. It's been a few months now since work from 3 00:00:09,039 --> 00:00:12,180 Sean Aylmer: home orders officially ended for a lot of Australian workers, 4 00:00:12,180 --> 00:00:15,430 Sean Aylmer: but in reality, many people haven't exactly been rushing back 5 00:00:15,430 --> 00:00:18,180 Sean Aylmer: to the office. It raises a lot of questions over 6 00:00:18,180 --> 00:00:20,910 Sean Aylmer: the future of work, where we'll be working, the role 7 00:00:20,910 --> 00:00:24,070 Sean Aylmer: of technology, and what it'll take to lure people back 8 00:00:24,100 --> 00:00:27,990 Sean Aylmer: into the workplace. Lenovo is a NASDAQ listed tech company 9 00:00:27,990 --> 00:00:30,720 Sean Aylmer: with a pretty interesting insight into the way technology is 10 00:00:30,720 --> 00:00:34,260 Sean Aylmer: changing the way we work. After all, Lenovo computers are 11 00:00:34,260 --> 00:00:37,820 Sean Aylmer: a fixture in many Australian workplaces. Matt Codrington is the 12 00:00:37,820 --> 00:00:40,729 Sean Aylmer: managing director of Lenovo Australia and New Zealand and my 13 00:00:40,729 --> 00:00:42,700 Sean Aylmer: guest this morning. Matt, welcome to Fear and Greed. 14 00:00:42,880 --> 00:00:43,680 Matt Codrington: Sean, good morning. How are you? 15 00:00:44,370 --> 00:00:47,199 Sean Aylmer: I'm very well, thank you. Now, what I love about 16 00:00:47,200 --> 00:00:49,120 Sean Aylmer: talking to someone like you is that you have a 17 00:00:49,120 --> 00:00:51,740 Sean Aylmer: lot of data presumably that most of the rest of 18 00:00:51,740 --> 00:00:55,100 Sean Aylmer: us don't have just in terms of the way people live 19 00:00:55,100 --> 00:00:57,340 Sean Aylmer: their lives and work, and operate, and things like that. 20 00:00:58,080 --> 00:01:02,250 Sean Aylmer: Let's start with Lenovo itself. You revamped your local office 21 00:01:02,250 --> 00:01:05,270 Sean Aylmer: space, but you actually went and asked employees what they 22 00:01:05,270 --> 00:01:08,970 Sean Aylmer: wanted and how they wanted to work in the future. 23 00:01:09,319 --> 00:01:10,490 Sean Aylmer: What did you learn from them? 24 00:01:10,900 --> 00:01:13,690 Matt Codrington: Sean, you're talking about one of the most important topics, 25 00:01:13,690 --> 00:01:16,410 Matt Codrington: at least from a management leadership perspective at the moment, 26 00:01:16,500 --> 00:01:18,380 Matt Codrington: especially over the last two years. And it's how to 27 00:01:18,380 --> 00:01:19,740 Matt Codrington: reengage our team, right? 28 00:01:20,050 --> 00:01:20,069 Sean Aylmer: Yeah. 29 00:01:20,090 --> 00:01:24,340 Matt Codrington: The traditional workplace has moved. Employee expectations have changed, but 30 00:01:24,340 --> 00:01:28,420 Matt Codrington: we're still very much social animals. So, exactly as you 31 00:01:28,420 --> 00:01:31,790 Matt Codrington: said, we embarked on a refurbishment of our offices over 32 00:01:31,790 --> 00:01:34,600 Matt Codrington: the last two years. In redesigning the new office, we 33 00:01:34,600 --> 00:01:37,330 Matt Codrington: approached our leadership team, asked them to nominate various people 34 00:01:37,330 --> 00:01:40,030 Matt Codrington: in their teams to sit in a working group comprised of people 35 00:01:40,030 --> 00:01:42,959 Matt Codrington: across the organization at various levels, departments coming together to 36 00:01:42,959 --> 00:01:45,900 Matt Codrington: put forward that vision of what an office requirement might 37 00:01:45,900 --> 00:01:48,309 Matt Codrington: be. What are the considerations? What are the implications across 38 00:01:48,310 --> 00:01:52,680 Matt Codrington: each team in department? And then we democratized those ideas 39 00:01:52,750 --> 00:01:56,130 Matt Codrington: collectively and worked with a design company and a facilities 40 00:01:56,130 --> 00:01:59,080 Matt Codrington: company to operationalize and push the thinking a bit further. 41 00:01:59,080 --> 00:02:02,660 Matt Codrington: So, I guess Lenovo looks at it... We have what 42 00:02:02,660 --> 00:02:05,410 Matt Codrington: we call a people first strategy. And what's really been 43 00:02:05,410 --> 00:02:08,480 Matt Codrington: reinforced over the last two years is a focus on 44 00:02:08,690 --> 00:02:12,190 Matt Codrington: wellbeing, a focus on flexibility, a focus on work life 45 00:02:12,190 --> 00:02:15,220 Matt Codrington: balance. And I think if you consider that your employees 46 00:02:15,639 --> 00:02:21,080 Matt Codrington: are your most valuable strategic resource, you really need to 47 00:02:21,080 --> 00:02:23,810 Matt Codrington: cater for that. So, in designing a new office, I 48 00:02:23,810 --> 00:02:26,500 Matt Codrington: can talk at length I think of what we've done, the technology, and 49 00:02:26,500 --> 00:02:29,880 Matt Codrington: so on, but we know our employees have choices. They 50 00:02:29,880 --> 00:02:32,860 Matt Codrington: want to work more efficiently. They've got that heightened focused 51 00:02:32,860 --> 00:02:35,860 Matt Codrington: on wellbeing. They've got a new experience working from home 52 00:02:35,860 --> 00:02:39,250 Matt Codrington: and that changes the dynamic a little bit. So, as 53 00:02:39,250 --> 00:02:42,750 Matt Codrington: we looked at the office, we put a core premise 54 00:02:43,180 --> 00:02:46,790 Matt Codrington: that allows every employee to design their day if they're 55 00:02:46,790 --> 00:02:48,620 Matt Codrington: coming into the office. That's the simplest way to do it. 56 00:02:48,620 --> 00:02:48,650 Sean Aylmer: Right. 57 00:02:49,030 --> 00:02:50,090 Matt Codrington: So, how do you design your day? 58 00:02:50,220 --> 00:02:53,710 Sean Aylmer: Okay. So, how does that manifest itself? Is it about 59 00:02:53,800 --> 00:02:58,799 Sean Aylmer: workplace bookings and parking, and end of trip facilities? How 60 00:02:58,800 --> 00:03:00,739 Sean Aylmer: does manifest itself, what you're talking about? 61 00:03:01,010 --> 00:03:03,960 Matt Codrington: Look, I think it's... So, we've got a saying in Lenovo, " 62 00:03:04,090 --> 00:03:06,740 Matt Codrington: Smarter technology for all." And it's really that democratization of 63 00:03:06,740 --> 00:03:10,889 Matt Codrington: technology. So, one of the cornerstones of this is IOT. You know about 64 00:03:10,889 --> 00:03:11,911 Matt Codrington: the internet of things, right? 65 00:03:11,911 --> 00:03:12,061 Sean Aylmer: Yeah. 66 00:03:12,690 --> 00:03:16,330 Matt Codrington: It's about sensors and data, and enabling smart decisions through 67 00:03:16,330 --> 00:03:19,950 Matt Codrington: data. It's a core technology we leverage in the refurbishment. But 68 00:03:19,950 --> 00:03:22,889 Matt Codrington: as you say, people can book space on demand. So, they 69 00:03:22,930 --> 00:03:25,550 Matt Codrington: can go into real time availability. They can see what 70 00:03:25,550 --> 00:03:28,530 Matt Codrington: space is available. They can book desks, or meeting rooms. 71 00:03:28,530 --> 00:03:31,380 Matt Codrington: They can book the space before they leave home. It's 72 00:03:31,380 --> 00:03:34,049 Matt Codrington: quite individualized, but it's also very flexible. Now this is 73 00:03:34,050 --> 00:03:36,510 Matt Codrington: a global statement. So, if you go to any office 74 00:03:36,510 --> 00:03:39,630 Matt Codrington: in Lenovo now, I can sit here and book an 75 00:03:39,630 --> 00:03:41,290 Matt Codrington: office space in Raleigh, or I can book an office 76 00:03:41,290 --> 00:03:42,830 Matt Codrington: space in London, or I can book an office space 77 00:03:42,830 --> 00:03:43,700 Matt Codrington: in Mumbai in India. 78 00:03:43,710 --> 00:03:43,730 Sean Aylmer: Wow. 79 00:03:44,060 --> 00:03:47,030 Matt Codrington: So, it's that visibility. 80 00:03:47,040 --> 00:03:47,060 Sean Aylmer: Yeah. 81 00:03:47,370 --> 00:03:49,760 Matt Codrington: And then it's having a control tower that says, " Okay, 82 00:03:49,760 --> 00:03:51,690 Matt Codrington: well, we've got a single pane of glass and that 83 00:03:51,690 --> 00:03:54,200 Matt Codrington: allows our facilities team to see what's happening with the 84 00:03:54,200 --> 00:03:56,680 Matt Codrington: capacity in the office." How's that working? We've got things like 85 00:03:57,150 --> 00:04:00,140 Matt Codrington: thermometers which heat map areas and they adjust the lighting, 86 00:04:00,140 --> 00:04:02,470 Matt Codrington: and the heating, and the cooling based on the team 87 00:04:02,470 --> 00:04:06,510 Matt Codrington: members that are in the office. Sensors help them with 88 00:04:06,780 --> 00:04:09,790 Matt Codrington: maybe some of the COVID protocols that still are there. 89 00:04:09,790 --> 00:04:12,930 Matt Codrington: So, insights from that sort of technology allows us to 90 00:04:13,170 --> 00:04:18,210 Matt Codrington: update our spaces, to manage the employees efficiently. We've booked 91 00:04:18,210 --> 00:04:20,560 Matt Codrington: out a whole floor that's collaboration space. So, we've got 92 00:04:20,560 --> 00:04:23,240 Matt Codrington: desks still, of course. People still like working from desks, 93 00:04:23,660 --> 00:04:25,910 Matt Codrington: but we've got a big collaboration space which is designed 94 00:04:25,910 --> 00:04:29,440 Matt Codrington: to have that flexible working environment. So, we've got moveable 95 00:04:29,440 --> 00:04:32,650 Matt Codrington: touch screens. You can plug into mobile devices. There are 96 00:04:32,650 --> 00:04:34,580 Matt Codrington: cameras allowed to connect to your peers if they're not 97 00:04:34,580 --> 00:04:37,310 Matt Codrington: in the office. So, really, I think the core of 98 00:04:37,310 --> 00:04:40,969 Matt Codrington: that is the collaboration that employees can come in, they can 99 00:04:40,970 --> 00:04:43,270 Matt Codrington: design their day, they can attend meetings, they can attend 100 00:04:43,270 --> 00:04:45,910 Matt Codrington: team meetings, but they can also then individualize that a little 101 00:04:45,990 --> 00:04:47,609 Matt Codrington: bit and do their own thing. 102 00:04:48,570 --> 00:04:49,980 Sean Aylmer: Stay with me, Matt, we'll be back in a minute. 103 00:04:55,600 --> 00:04:59,150 Sean Aylmer: My guest today is Matt Codrington, managing director of Lenovo 104 00:04:59,240 --> 00:05:02,250 Sean Aylmer: Australia and New Zealand. A couple of things that have 105 00:05:02,250 --> 00:05:04,180 Sean Aylmer: happened over the past couple of years: we've all become 106 00:05:04,180 --> 00:05:07,010 Sean Aylmer: a little bit more technology proficient. So, when we walk 107 00:05:07,020 --> 00:05:11,140 Sean Aylmer: into an office space and we're getting someone to come in externally, 108 00:05:11,140 --> 00:05:14,430 Sean Aylmer: we know how to use the machinery to get it to 109 00:05:14,430 --> 00:05:16,820 Sean Aylmer: work, which I think was always a pretty big impediment 110 00:05:17,360 --> 00:05:19,310 Sean Aylmer: to lots of those sorts of meetings. But the other 111 00:05:19,310 --> 00:05:21,950 Sean Aylmer: thing is we used to follow technology. I think of 112 00:05:21,950 --> 00:05:24,260 Sean Aylmer: my early days in journalism and there was a Bloomberg 113 00:05:24,270 --> 00:05:27,109 Sean Aylmer: machine, which you needed 15 minutes on before you wrote 114 00:05:27,110 --> 00:05:28,950 Sean Aylmer: up a markets report and you had to wait in 115 00:05:28,950 --> 00:05:32,080 Sean Aylmer: line to get that. And then we moved on to computers and 116 00:05:32,080 --> 00:05:36,529 Sean Aylmer: then our workflows really were determined by your access technology. 117 00:05:36,750 --> 00:05:39,370 Sean Aylmer: What you are talking about though, it's almost the reverse of it. 118 00:05:39,779 --> 00:05:43,610 Sean Aylmer: So, it's actually workplace behavior that comes first and then 119 00:05:43,610 --> 00:05:45,530 Sean Aylmer: technology, rather than the other way around. 120 00:05:46,000 --> 00:05:48,790 Matt Codrington: I think there's been a level of confidence that's probably 121 00:05:48,790 --> 00:05:50,279 Matt Codrington: needed to come back into the office first of all, 122 00:05:50,279 --> 00:05:52,520 Matt Codrington: right? So, as we put these things in place, it's 123 00:05:52,520 --> 00:05:55,750 Matt Codrington: about making it not necessarily easy, but making it intuitive 124 00:05:56,170 --> 00:05:57,960 Matt Codrington: for folks to come in. And one of our biggest 125 00:05:57,960 --> 00:06:01,380 Matt Codrington: challenges as a technology company is to make our technology 126 00:06:01,380 --> 00:06:04,770 Matt Codrington: intuitive. Now in the age of this consumerism and apps, 127 00:06:04,770 --> 00:06:06,550 Matt Codrington: and all that sort of stuff, you need to make 128 00:06:06,550 --> 00:06:09,920 Matt Codrington: things easy to use, or even you don't need to 129 00:06:09,920 --> 00:06:12,109 Matt Codrington: think about how you use them. You can connect by 130 00:06:12,110 --> 00:06:14,950 Matt Codrington: pressing the connect button and you're on. And the technology 131 00:06:14,950 --> 00:06:17,060 Matt Codrington: now allows us to drive things like the proximity of 132 00:06:17,060 --> 00:06:19,890 Matt Codrington: machines. So, if you're in a meeting room, it knows 133 00:06:19,890 --> 00:06:21,350 Matt Codrington: you're in the meeting room. It can connect you. It 134 00:06:21,350 --> 00:06:23,110 Matt Codrington: can give you the options on how you want to 135 00:06:23,110 --> 00:06:24,480 Matt Codrington: connect and who you want to connect to, and so on. 136 00:06:24,480 --> 00:06:28,180 Matt Codrington: So, I think that evolution of technology's taken away some 137 00:06:28,180 --> 00:06:31,359 Matt Codrington: of the mechanics of how to use. And really it's 138 00:06:31,360 --> 00:06:34,529 Matt Codrington: just more of now an intuitive outcome. And people, through 139 00:06:34,529 --> 00:06:36,830 Matt Codrington: the use of smartphones probably over the last five years 140 00:06:36,830 --> 00:06:41,260 Matt Codrington: and so on, have also learnt how to engage technology 141 00:06:41,350 --> 00:06:43,830 Matt Codrington: perhaps a little bit differently as well, where technology was 142 00:06:43,830 --> 00:06:45,300 Matt Codrington: a bit of an unknown, but now it's part of 143 00:06:45,300 --> 00:06:49,729 Matt Codrington: our everyday lives. So, using that facility, that interface. It 144 00:06:49,730 --> 00:06:52,330 Matt Codrington: might be touch, it might be voice. It makes it 145 00:06:52,330 --> 00:06:55,520 Matt Codrington: very easy I think for people now to engage. 146 00:06:55,800 --> 00:06:59,089 Sean Aylmer: Are you seeing most workplaces preparing for a hybrid model, 147 00:06:59,089 --> 00:07:01,710 Sean Aylmer: or are there still some holdouts who just want people 148 00:07:01,710 --> 00:07:02,480 Sean Aylmer: back in the office? 149 00:07:03,610 --> 00:07:05,800 Matt Codrington: Look, I think it's different for different industries. Some industries, 150 00:07:06,500 --> 00:07:08,890 Matt Codrington: it's more of a mandate probably to get people back 151 00:07:08,890 --> 00:07:09,121 Matt Codrington: into the office. 152 00:07:09,121 --> 00:07:09,360 Sean Aylmer: Yeah. 153 00:07:09,360 --> 00:07:12,880 Matt Codrington: So, for example, we've got call centers, we've got support centers, and 154 00:07:13,420 --> 00:07:16,500 Matt Codrington: so on where we have run them remotely. But even 155 00:07:16,500 --> 00:07:20,110 Matt Codrington: then, we onboarded probably over a hundred people last year, 156 00:07:20,410 --> 00:07:23,110 Matt Codrington: new employees, and I think when you look at something 157 00:07:23,110 --> 00:07:26,430 Matt Codrington: like this, you need to take that into consideration. So, 158 00:07:26,810 --> 00:07:30,460 Matt Codrington: the business is growing. Things are morphing and transforming, especially 159 00:07:30,460 --> 00:07:33,820 Matt Codrington: in technology. As a company, we are going down all 160 00:07:33,820 --> 00:07:36,210 Matt Codrington: sorts of different routes now in terms of how we 161 00:07:36,210 --> 00:07:39,290 Matt Codrington: deliver outcomes for our customers. So, I think when you 162 00:07:39,290 --> 00:07:42,010 Matt Codrington: look at that, you can say, " Well, for our business, 163 00:07:42,460 --> 00:07:44,630 Matt Codrington: it makes sense to have a lot of flexibility." So, 164 00:07:44,630 --> 00:07:46,810 Matt Codrington: you can work from home if you choose to. There's 165 00:07:46,810 --> 00:07:49,550 Matt Codrington: efficiencies there, there's connection to family there, there's all sorts 166 00:07:49,550 --> 00:07:51,590 Matt Codrington: of stuff that's an advantage. And then there's all sorts of stuff that 167 00:07:52,040 --> 00:07:55,270 Matt Codrington: probably doesn't work from home. And I spoke about onboarding, 168 00:07:55,500 --> 00:07:59,090 Matt Codrington: maybe culture's another one. Culture's very difficult to do remotely. 169 00:07:59,370 --> 00:08:01,619 Matt Codrington: So, depending on the company, I think there are different 170 00:08:01,620 --> 00:08:04,920 Matt Codrington: mandates. But what I'd say in my experience probably over 171 00:08:04,920 --> 00:08:08,950 Matt Codrington: the last three to six months talking to my peers... 172 00:08:08,950 --> 00:08:12,520 Matt Codrington: I'm a member of certain groups with other CEOs. And 173 00:08:13,160 --> 00:08:15,760 Matt Codrington: I guess there's a heightened sense that even for mental 174 00:08:15,760 --> 00:08:18,040 Matt Codrington: health, we want to give our employees that option. So, 175 00:08:18,040 --> 00:08:22,570 Matt Codrington: I think that's a fairly consistent thinking. But most companies 176 00:08:22,570 --> 00:08:25,460 Matt Codrington: as well are still very focused on that flexibility. I 177 00:08:25,460 --> 00:08:28,280 Matt Codrington: think we need to be. So, offering options for our 178 00:08:28,280 --> 00:08:31,130 Matt Codrington: staff to get the most efficiency, not to have the 179 00:08:31,130 --> 00:08:34,010 Matt Codrington: commute every day, but at the same time, able to 180 00:08:34,010 --> 00:08:37,440 Matt Codrington: have those intangible conversations, those water cooler conversations that are 181 00:08:37,440 --> 00:08:40,860 Matt Codrington: so important to get things done, to drive business, and 182 00:08:40,860 --> 00:08:45,790 Matt Codrington: so on. So, generally speaking, I'd say most companies are 183 00:08:45,790 --> 00:08:47,319 Matt Codrington: that flexible hybrid style right now. 184 00:08:47,750 --> 00:08:50,870 Sean Aylmer: We have learned a lot about what works in the 185 00:08:50,870 --> 00:08:54,790 Sean Aylmer: workplace and how to run a hybrid office. How much 186 00:08:54,790 --> 00:08:57,689 Sean Aylmer: have we learned about what doesn't work? Are there certain 187 00:08:57,690 --> 00:09:00,210 Sean Aylmer: things that we thought would be a great idea and 188 00:09:00,210 --> 00:09:03,240 Sean Aylmer: have just fallen by the wayside because there was no adoption? 189 00:09:03,940 --> 00:09:06,640 Matt Codrington: Well, in terms of probably broader concept, Sean, I spoke 190 00:09:06,640 --> 00:09:10,380 Matt Codrington: about culture. Culture's so important to a company midterm, long 191 00:09:10,380 --> 00:09:11,780 Matt Codrington: term to be successful. 192 00:09:11,780 --> 00:09:11,800 Sean Aylmer: Yeah. 193 00:09:11,800 --> 00:09:15,020 Matt Codrington: And if you look at things like diversity, it's such 194 00:09:15,020 --> 00:09:19,179 Matt Codrington: an important factor. So, having different context, better informed decisions. 195 00:09:19,190 --> 00:09:22,449 Matt Codrington: Things are moving faster now. So, I think one of 196 00:09:22,450 --> 00:09:25,939 Matt Codrington: my cornerstones about getting people together is that cultural aspect 197 00:09:25,940 --> 00:09:29,859 Matt Codrington: and allowing people to interact and have that outcome. And 198 00:09:30,340 --> 00:09:34,059 Matt Codrington: I think we know that doesn't work as efficiently. We've 199 00:09:34,059 --> 00:09:36,319 Matt Codrington: done training for our managers on how to manage virtual 200 00:09:36,320 --> 00:09:39,569 Matt Codrington: teams. So, it's not just about getting on a Zoom 201 00:09:39,570 --> 00:09:41,590 Matt Codrington: session, or a Teams session, or something during the day. 202 00:09:42,720 --> 00:09:44,890 Matt Codrington: When we were all locked in our homes, they were 203 00:09:44,890 --> 00:09:47,800 Matt Codrington: getting together on a Thursday afternoon, or a Friday evening, 204 00:09:47,800 --> 00:09:50,430 Matt Codrington: and they were having a glass of wine, or they 205 00:09:50,570 --> 00:09:53,260 Matt Codrington: were doing what... They were socializing together as well. And 206 00:09:53,260 --> 00:09:55,780 Matt Codrington: I think that's just as important in a company culture 207 00:09:55,780 --> 00:09:59,300 Matt Codrington: to have that level of interaction. Onboarding new employees was 208 00:09:59,300 --> 00:10:02,010 Matt Codrington: a huge challenge. Not because we didn't give them the 209 00:10:02,010 --> 00:10:06,110 Matt Codrington: right tools, but it's how does the company work? And 210 00:10:06,110 --> 00:10:08,339 Matt Codrington: there's so many questions and how do you do that? 211 00:10:08,690 --> 00:10:12,809 Matt Codrington: Mental health I touched on. We're social animals. So, sitting 212 00:10:12,809 --> 00:10:15,360 Matt Codrington: in your bedroom working from a screen, or in your 213 00:10:15,360 --> 00:10:17,360 Matt Codrington: living room, or in your office, or whatever it is, 214 00:10:17,600 --> 00:10:20,120 Matt Codrington: you need a break from that. And people haven't been 215 00:10:20,120 --> 00:10:22,500 Matt Codrington: very good at setting boundaries I think, based on what 216 00:10:22,500 --> 00:10:24,679 Matt Codrington: I've seen. You need to take breaks, you need to 217 00:10:25,179 --> 00:10:28,240 Matt Codrington: disconnect, you need to be able to pull yourself away, 218 00:10:28,890 --> 00:10:32,730 Matt Codrington: and go and do something else. We had a rule, 219 00:10:32,790 --> 00:10:37,740 Matt Codrington: a guideline in Lenovo, during the last year where no 220 00:10:37,740 --> 00:10:39,940 Matt Codrington: meetings after three o'clock. And that was really predicated on 221 00:10:40,000 --> 00:10:42,429 Matt Codrington: the fact that kids got out of school at three 222 00:10:42,429 --> 00:10:46,110 Matt Codrington: o'clock and then you had the witching hour. So, I 223 00:10:46,110 --> 00:10:50,120 Matt Codrington: think we learned a lot in terms of how people interact 224 00:10:50,120 --> 00:10:54,120 Matt Codrington: outside of the office. You've got all those distractions, dogs, 225 00:10:54,120 --> 00:10:57,059 Matt Codrington: kids, deliveries, all those sorts of things, that really don't work 226 00:10:57,059 --> 00:10:59,710 Matt Codrington: in that sort of environment. So, it's just taking the 227 00:10:59,710 --> 00:11:00,840 Matt Codrington: best of both of those I think. 228 00:11:01,130 --> 00:11:03,300 Sean Aylmer: Lenovo has had a period of very strong demand during 229 00:11:03,300 --> 00:11:06,550 Sean Aylmer: the pandemic with Australia and New Zealand posting combined revenues 230 00:11:06,559 --> 00:11:08,150 Sean Aylmer: of more than a billion dollars I think for the first 231 00:11:08,150 --> 00:11:11,750 Sean Aylmer: time. Is that all about the rush to equip staff 232 00:11:11,970 --> 00:11:15,070 Sean Aylmer: for remote working, or is it also office upgrades? And 233 00:11:15,070 --> 00:11:17,550 Sean Aylmer: I suppose the follow on from that is... Is the 234 00:11:17,550 --> 00:11:20,190 Sean Aylmer: desktop computer almost dead? 235 00:11:22,059 --> 00:11:24,110 Matt Codrington: Definitely not. I think the desktop's actually making a bit of a 236 00:11:24,150 --> 00:11:25,330 Matt Codrington: resurgence at the moment actually. 237 00:11:25,780 --> 00:11:25,990 Sean Aylmer: Oh, right? 238 00:11:25,990 --> 00:11:29,199 Matt Codrington: But what I'll said is, yes, we saw heightened demand. 239 00:11:29,260 --> 00:11:32,390 Matt Codrington: There's no doubt about that. And from maybe some of 240 00:11:32,390 --> 00:11:35,650 Matt Codrington: the government agencies. They were more office bound. They had 241 00:11:35,650 --> 00:11:38,630 Matt Codrington: to extract themselves from the office and give the ability 242 00:11:38,630 --> 00:11:41,220 Matt Codrington: for their folks to work remotely. So, that's definitely part 243 00:11:41,220 --> 00:11:43,010 Matt Codrington: of it. But I think what it did do is 244 00:11:43,010 --> 00:11:47,550 Matt Codrington: it drove a very rapid digitization. There's that meme that says, " 245 00:11:48,140 --> 00:11:50,439 Matt Codrington: Who drove you to the digital outcome in the last 246 00:11:50,440 --> 00:11:52,719 Matt Codrington: two years? Was it your CIO? Was it your CEO? 247 00:11:52,720 --> 00:11:55,850 Matt Codrington: Or was it C- 19?" And it was definitely the 248 00:11:56,120 --> 00:11:58,939 Matt Codrington: nature of what we were pushed into that drove that 249 00:11:58,940 --> 00:12:02,240 Matt Codrington: digitization. And I think from small businesses through to large 250 00:12:02,240 --> 00:12:06,640 Matt Codrington: enterprises, there was an acknowledgement of technology and how it 251 00:12:06,640 --> 00:12:10,120 Matt Codrington: could impact how they work, and the efficiency they're working at, and 252 00:12:10,200 --> 00:12:13,010 Matt Codrington: so on. So, from small businesses, we saw them investing 253 00:12:13,010 --> 00:12:16,650 Matt Codrington: in more technology. And probably from an enterprise level, we 254 00:12:16,650 --> 00:12:19,130 Matt Codrington: saw them upgrading their technology. Because of the reliance and 255 00:12:19,600 --> 00:12:23,020 Matt Codrington: cyber security, and all these other factors coming in, it's 256 00:12:23,420 --> 00:12:26,380 Matt Codrington: making sure that their technology worked every time. So, it's 257 00:12:26,380 --> 00:12:29,830 Matt Codrington: just that double down, that investment in making sure that 258 00:12:29,830 --> 00:12:33,030 Matt Codrington: technology was a core enabler for the team. And I 259 00:12:33,030 --> 00:12:34,820 Matt Codrington: think that drove a lot of the refresh cycle as 260 00:12:34,820 --> 00:12:38,580 Matt Codrington: well. So, as a business, we've grown significantly. I think 261 00:12:38,830 --> 00:12:40,780 Matt Codrington: actually in the last quarter we became number one in 262 00:12:40,780 --> 00:12:43,660 Matt Codrington: a ANZ, which was great, but it's... 263 00:12:43,700 --> 00:12:43,760 Sean Aylmer: Well done. 264 00:12:43,760 --> 00:12:46,590 Matt Codrington: Thanks. It's not just that though. It's not just the 265 00:12:46,590 --> 00:12:50,510 Matt Codrington: growth, but it's the diversity. So, our workplace solutions, we've 266 00:12:50,510 --> 00:12:53,330 Matt Codrington: got analytics now. We do digital signage. We do visitor 267 00:12:53,330 --> 00:12:57,570 Matt Codrington: management. We do smart lockers, which sounds a little bit 268 00:12:57,570 --> 00:13:01,290 Matt Codrington: boring, but smart lockers are really powerful. They allow staff 269 00:13:01,290 --> 00:13:04,239 Matt Codrington: to go in and grab their... Maybe it's their new 270 00:13:04,240 --> 00:13:07,429 Matt Codrington: PC, or it's to store, to pick up, to manage 271 00:13:07,429 --> 00:13:10,670 Matt Codrington: assets, all those sorts of things. So, the technology space 272 00:13:10,670 --> 00:13:13,849 Matt Codrington: is, again, diversified to meet our customer's needs. I think 273 00:13:14,100 --> 00:13:14,319 Matt Codrington: that's what's driven a lot of the growth. 274 00:13:15,550 --> 00:13:17,170 Sean Aylmer: Matt, thank you for talking to Fear and Greed. 275 00:13:17,500 --> 00:13:18,329 Matt Codrington: Thanks very much, Sean. 276 00:13:18,630 --> 00:13:22,120 Sean Aylmer: That was Matt Codrington, managing director of Lenovo Australia and 277 00:13:22,120 --> 00:13:25,030 Sean Aylmer: New Zealand. This is a Fear and Greed daily interview. join us 278 00:13:25,030 --> 00:13:27,230 Sean Aylmer: every morning for the full episode of Fear and Greed, 279 00:13:27,410 --> 00:13:30,819 Sean Aylmer: Australia's most popular business podcast. I'm Sean Aylmer. Enjoy your day.