Human on the Inside with Matthew Perry
Human on the Inside. We’re big believers in the power of human skills. But don’t just take our word for it - the evidence for excellence powered by human (‘soft’) skills is everywhere! In this engaging, ever-enlightening series, we speak with industry leaders, innovators and game-changers to learn a little about their personal career journeys, and how human-led strategies, philosophies and cultures are proving a force for good in their working worlds …
Maxme: Welcome Matthew, and thanks for stepping into the #SuccessIsHuman Spotlight!
You’re the Chief Strategy Officer at INK IT Solutions and a seasoned Chief Information Officer.
In 1 sentence (ok, we’ll give you 3), what does your role entail?
Matthew Perry: I help organisations succeed, through people and the use of technology.
I do this by helping to design and build great teams and leaders, and by helping to ensure targets, activities and resources are aligned to agreed goals.
I really enjoy positive, inclusive and empowered environments, and have proven many times over that those teams and cultures achieve better outcomes, by any important metric.
M: You’ve been a CIO for decades, working in organisations all around the world and living in Canada, USA, Mexico and Singapore for extended periods.
You’re now the Chief Strategy Officer at INK IT Solutions, a rising star in the SAP world.
You’re also a Club and State Coach, who played volleyball for Australia for 11 years.
All of these roles have similarities in the form of working within high-functioning teams with very specific short-, medium-, and long-term goals.
How does all this work speak to your personal purpose and what drives you as an individual?
MP: Purpose-driven work compels me, clearly.
Making a positive difference to people, teams and organisations both delights and drives me.
One of the joys of coaching is helping others set higher expectations of themselves, and then helping them to achieve those new benchmarks.
My fulfillment and satisfaction come through their personal growth.
M: Tell us a little about your personal education pathway/s - what led you to where you are now? How closely do your formal qualifications match your current career?
MP: I have various minor qualifications, none of them particularly relevant to my current positions, but all of them reflective of my hunger for learning.
My career was shaped by my time as a professional athlete, without a doubt.
All of the things that are important to a good (team) athlete, translate very directly to working in and leading great organisations.
Honesty, trust, respect, goal-aligned hard work, open communication, continuous improvement, embracing change, collaboration, diversity, positivity, and shared success; these things are lived truly in the sporting arena. Many organisations (but, frankly, not all) embrace these as core principles.
M: If you could share one piece of career advice to your 21 year old self it would be ...
MP: At that age, I was on one of my many career changes. I was training full-time and my world revolved around sport, to the exclusion of almost everything else.
To keep living life to its fullest, I would counsel myself, and always look for the best coaches/mentors and environment.
M: Maximising the potential of individuals, communities and businesses through the power of human skills is the reason Maxme exists. Can you tell us a little about the role and / or value of human skills in your workplace or industry right now?
MP: Relatively recent changes in business technologies (such as AI, Business and Robotic Process Automation, Industry 4.0, digital twins, etc.) have delivered a different business architecture and should also demand a different business model.
Nonetheless, relationships and trustful communication are more important than ever, I suggest.
Personal relationships remain paramount. Empathy, sincerity, honesty and respect have not lost their foundational place in this (currently fraught and conflicted) world.
Many companies do what INK IT Solutions does. I love that INK IT has recognised the value of, and lives, those core team principles that I discussed.
M: Self Awareness sets the critical foundation for all Maxme learning experiences. What’s your strongest trait / personal super power?
MP: Either my height, humour or my curiosity. Let’s go with curiosity.
I am constantly and consistently reflecting upon messages, both verbal and visual; replaying everything in order to gain a better and deeper understanding.
I love understanding how things work and trying to make them work better.
I am passionate about learning. Listening and doing and learning, repeat. I am curious about everything and am in constant conversation about “almost everything”.
But never at the cost of action.
M: And on the flip side, what’s one human / ‘soft’ skill you’ve had to really work on improving over the course of your career?
MP: I find it difficult to focus on 'immediate' tasks that don’t seem aligned with a bigger direction, such as a strategy.
I also struggle to quickly identify and clearly express this challenge, which has, at times, frustrated some of my previous managers.
It’s not so much a soft skill as a state of being—I dislike 'wasting time.'
Often, this type of work exists simply because 'that’s the way we’ve always done it,' which I find exhausting and frustrating.
M: If you could share one piece of career advice with recent Uni graduates or candidates keen to work for an organisation like yours, what would it be?
MP: Career opportunities are scarce. It is not a fair market. They (graduating Job Searchers) require an abnormal volume of strength, tenacity and persistence today.
My counsel: don’t give up. Differentiate yourself, and find a great coach/mentor and a great environment.
M: You’ve been granted approval to add one Uni graduate to your business, but have 100 applicants, all with outstanding academic results. How do you find your perfect candidate - what are you looking for?
MP: What a terrible dilemma. I think businesses would do better if there were more places for graduates: “young” minds that aren’t corrupted by corporate malaise. Fresh thinkers.
My bias: when “assessing” new candidates I’ve always looked for the “other things”. Things that differentiate, like a passion for music, volumes of travel, exploration of a field, keen special interests, curious minds, and respectful but challenging conversations.
I enjoy those that lean forward and say “yes, and…”, as I’ve observed too many Australian business leaders leaning back, arms folded, saying “yes, but…”.
M: In the words of American philosopher, psychologist, and educational reformer John Dewey, “education is not preparation for life, education is life itself.” What’s next on your #learning agenda?
MP: Both of my parents were educationalists and life-long learners. Like them, the day I stop learning is the day I die.
At present, I am learning lots more about volleyball from a new bunch of young athletes.
Matthew Perry
Chief Strategy Officer at INK IT Solutions
Matthew is the Chief Strategy Officer at INK IT Solutions and a seasoned Chief Information Officer with global experience across Canada, the USA, Mexico, and Singapore. With a career shaped by his time as a professional athlete representing Australia in volleyball, Matthew is passionate about building high-performing, people-centered teams that align strategy with action to achieve outstanding outcomes. A lifelong learner driven by curiosity, he thrives in positive, inclusive environments and believes that human skills—like empathy, trust, and collaboration—are critical to success in today’s fast-evolving world.
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