Packing his bags for Africa, retiring CEO Rodney Dredge reflects on his legacy and regrets after eight years steering the Sydney Diocesan Secretariat (SDS).
"I would have liked to have made lots more progress in encouraging the Diocese to exploit its financial strength," he says.
"We dabble around the edges and only recently in the lending agreement between GAB and Anglicare have we really touched even the surface of the possibilities."
He adds that he would have liked to help the Diocese more in its use of assets, so that the Mission could move forward faster.
"We have masses and masses of poorly utilised assets and we have masses and masses of needs but we find it difficult to bring the two together for the good of the Mission."
However Mr Dredge says he also leaves with the satisfaction of what has been achieved at SDS in his time there.
"One of the tests of a leader is whether you have made sustainable change to a business or environment " I'd like to hope that I've injected a level of mission orientation and Christian integrity, and that I've lifted not only the standards but also the expectations."
However chances are, he will not be dwelling on the past as he leaves SDS tomorrow and prepares for his next destination: the slums of Nairobi.
Less than a week after he walks out the doors of the Sydney Diocesan Secretariat for the last time, Mr Dredge is using his considerable macro business experience in a completely different setting.
Mr Dredge and his wife Jenny will travel to Nairobi as part of a team led by the Rev Dr Margaret Powell, associate pastor at St Paul's, Castle Hill.
Mr Dredge says the team, which includes seven businesspeople with macro and micro business experience, will explore the possibility of creating jobs "for slum dwellers who have nothing and no life skills at all".
Small business initiatives will be the main focus of the work, which will be done in partnership with Nairobi Chapel.
"It's very much a 10-year horizon " working out whether we have the passion, calling, commitment and energy to do that work," says Mr Dredge.
From a personal perspective, Mr Dredge adds that that the trip is an exciting step of faith.
"I'm daunted by the idea of going to Africa at my age, but I can see that my experience might be just what's required."
