Industry Experts Bring Real-World Lessons to ICMS Masters Classroom 

Two industry experts recently stepped into the classroom at the International College of Management Sydney (ICMS) to share honest career advice and hard-won lessons on leadership with Masters students. 

Joanne Pan, who works in Strategic Communications in the healthcare sector, and Etienne Reiss, Business Manager ANZ at Embecta, spoke as part of the ICMS Guest Lecture series. Dr Richard Carter invited both speakers to address students in the Master of Management (Tourism and Hospitality) program. 

The session focused on Responsible Leadership, Leading Change and practical career guidance. Both speakers drew on their own careers to show students how leadership works outside the textbook. 

The 3 A’s of Responsible Leadership

Joanne Pan shared her career journey and outlined what she calls the 3 A’s of Responsible Leadership. She built each idea around a simple choice leaders make every day: 

• Authenticity over Authority: Great leaders are genuine. Their influence comes from trust, not their title. 

• Accessibility over Hierarchy: Good leaders are approachable. They remove barriers instead of reinforcing status. 

• Accountability over Blame: Responsible leaders own the outcomes, learn from mistakes and help others succeed. 

For Joanne, the visit carried extra meaning. Richard was her professor during her undergraduate degree at UNSW many years ago, so returning to the classroom felt like a full-circle moment. 

“It was a pleasure to reconnect and give back,” she said. 

Preparing for the session also gave Joanne a chance to reflect on her own path. She said she hoped it encouraged students to think about the kind of leaders they want to become. 

A hands-on look at leading change

Etienne Reiss brought the topic of Leading Change to life with a practical activity. His “boat exercise” gave students a fresh, hands-on way to think about leadership and teamwork, moving the discussion from theory into something they could feel and work through together. 

Dr Carter said both speakers made a strong impact on the group. 

“Joanne’s 3 A’s and Etienne’s boat exercise will no doubt leave a lasting impression on them,” he said. 

Part of a wider industry focus

Guest lectures like this one sit within a broader ICMS approach to learning. The college regularly connects students with industry through masterclasses, site visits and guest lectures, giving them direct access to people already working in their chosen fields. 

That focus continues into Work Integrated Learning (WIL), where students complete up to 600 hours of professional placement as part of their degrees. ICMS works with a range of industry partners in a variety of industries to place students in roles that align with their studies. 

Those partnerships help students build real industry connections well before they graduate. According to the ICMS Internal Graduate Survey 2025 , almost 50% of surveyed 2025 graduates who were in the workforce were employed by the same organisation where they completed their Work Integrated Learning (WIL) placement. 

Sessions like the one led by Joanne and Etienne reflect the mentoring approach that shapes ICMS education. By bringing experienced professionals into the classroom, students hear real stories, ask real questions and gain insight into potential career pathways. 

Disclaimer: Results are based on the ICMS Internal Graduate Survey 2025. Responses were received from 63% of the 2025 graduate cohort. Employment outcomes are calculated only for graduates who were employed or actively seeking employment. Graduates who indicated they were not seeking employment were excluded from these results.