Hurricanes CEO, Avan Lee on Adapting to COVID-19

To get us all in the game, Avan started off with a coin toss to pick a winner from the audience for a Hurricanes jersey.

Dominique Hawinkels of JD-Data was the lucky winner, who generously gifted it to enthusiastic kids from Wainuiomata High School (invited to the event as part of our Education to Employment Programme. Their Careers Advisor told us it would go to the student with the highest attendance rate).

With a behind the scenes look at what went on for the players and the business of the Hurricanes, Avan walked us through the last year, throughout the lockdown and the uncertainly of a time when no-one knew what was around the corner.

With a lighthearted, informative and humorous approach, Avan shared some heartfelt moments with us of what it’s like as CEO leading a team through the uncertainty of COVID-19. He spoke of meeting the cultural needs of the players, keeping the Hurricanes audience engaged, staying in touch via Zoom and the importance of taking care of the players wellbeing.

After the presentation Avan opened up the floor to the audience. Plenty of people took the opportunity to ask their own questions which Avan carefully considered and spent some time to answer.

Winners of the two prize draws were: Andrew Stewart of Prime Strategies Group – winner of our Made in the Hutt business card prize draw, and Mike Metcalfe of Media Giant, winner of a merchandise pack kindly donated by the Hurricanes.

This event was run as part of our 2021 Covid Support & Recovery Programme, in partnership with Platinum Partner, Open Polytechnic and Silver Partner, McKone Consultancy.