The start of a new year provides the opportunity for us all to look forward and refocus our efforts for the coming months both personally and professionally. Over the festive period many of us will have had the chance to reflect and evaluate what is important to us, setting new goals and ambitions to support our own personal growth, mental health and general wellbeing.
As is tradition at this time of year, December is the chance to reflect on the past year and to look toward what the coming year may bring. Whilst my predecessors would have talked of uncertainty, challenges and opportunities, I don’t think any of us would have predicted the 2020 we have all experienced.
Undoubtedly, 2020 will be a year that we all remember as we address the challenges presented by the pandemic. It continues to have an impact on our health, wellbeing and economy.
It gives me great pleasure to be writing my first Presidents column for our magazine as our industry is one I am incredibly proud of. As members of the Institute, our industry and our profession are critical in supporting our country, our economy and our communities.
As I reach the end of my term as IQ President, I cannot believe how quickly the time as flown. It seems like just a few months ago that I came into office.
As we progress through the year, we are all finding our ‘new normal’ both personally and professionally. From a global perspective we can see how Covid-19 has been moving through different countries: from the initial spread of the virus to containment and reduction of cases; through to, sadly, increased peaks and further surges of infection.
It is hard to believe we have already entered the second half of the year. The first six months of 2020 has been an extraordinary period that will continue to affect how we live our lives well beyond the next few months and years.
We start the month of June with a stark reminder of just how much has changed for everyone over the last few months. Under normal circumstances this column would have been looking forward to Hillhead and the opportunity to meet up with colleagues past and present. We would also have been welcoming around 20,000 people from around the world to share in the latest developments in equipment and technology.
As this issue of QMJ lands on your desk, we mark another step in our journey through the COVID-19 pandemic. Last month we were preparing ourselves for the early effects of the virus; now we are seeing the full extent of its short-term impact.
A Joint Statement from IQ President Phil Redmond and IQ Chairman Martin Riley
As we write this column, all of us are experiencing or expect to experience significant disruptions to both our daily and working lives, regardless of where we live and work across the globe, due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The actions being taken in many countries are unprecedented, with the sole aim being to safeguard the health and wellbeing of as many people as possible.