Farewelling a Colleague, Mentor and Friend: Celebrating the Retirement of David Stubbings

At the end of December, we say farewell to someone who has shaped Lánluas in ways that will ripple forward for years: David Stubbings, who retires after 8½ years with us.

David joined Lánluas in mid-2017 after meeting our founder, John, in a Melbourne laneway café. What began as a conversation about a role quickly turned into the start of a partnership built on trust, experience and shared values.

No request has ever been too hard or inconvenient for David. His profound experience and calm, practical style made a real difference from day one. But more than that, David brought warmth, humour and generosity. I will miss sharing a red wine with him and hearing about whatever starry-night project he was working on next.

Executive Director, Growth and Innovation, John Speed

In his first weeks with us, David made a real impact. His ERP implementation experience spans generations of technology, from CA Masterpiece (which he once implemented) to the latest TechnologyOne functional changes. His deep knowledge gave clients confidence and provided colleagues a mentor they could rely on.

One of David’s early wins involved helping a client migrate data off CA Masterpiece—a system whose lineage dates back to the 60s and 70s—into TechnologyOne. That ability to bridge the past and the future has always been one of his quiet superpowers.

Since that time, David has worked tirelessly to help build Lánluas into the respected global consulting firm that it is today by supporting international clients, travelling as needed, and elevating the engagement manager role into a function that now strengthens every project.

David’s knowledge of the TechnologyOne product suite and customer landscape is unmatched. He has been our oracle, the person who always knew the history, the context and the smartest way forward. His willingness to share that knowledge, support others and step up under pressure is something we all deeply admire.

Outgoing CEO Richard McManus

Beyond work, David is someone who brings genuine humanity and a focus on people to the team.

• Sharing photos of his family and grandkids on Teams.
• Stories of freezing nights spent capturing constellations through a camera lens.
• His warm presence in a room.
• The quiet enjoyment of colleagues.
• His wry sense of humour always arrived at the perfect moment!

As David steps into retirement, we celebrate not just the work he has done, though that alone is remarkable, but the person he has been to all of us.

David, thank you for your leadership, kindness, wisdom, and constellations.

We wish you a retirement full of family, adventure, delicious wine and clear night skies.