Search for Freedom Book Launch

Pictured L-R: Yulianna Shiikha, Paul Faix, Lan Tran and Heather Wallace.

An Evening of Storytelling, Reflection & Community

On Saturday 9th May, we had the privilege of celebrating the official launch of Search for Freedom by Paul Faix, CEO of Fortix, alongside an incredible gathering of family, friends, clients, colleagues, and members of the wider community.

The event welcomed approximately 100 guests for an evening centred around storytelling, connection, reflection, and the search for freedom in both life and work.

The launch marked an important milestone not only for Paul personally, but also for the many people who have contributed to his journey over the past two decades.

Celebrating Family & Heritage

The evening was warmly hosted by Paul’s children, Hannah and Filip Faix, who guided guests through the program with sincerity, humour, and heartfelt reflections on their father’s work ethic, resilience, and vision.

Guests were welcomed with Slovakian wine sourced from Paul and Denisa’s homeland, alongside traditional Honeycake inspired by Czech and Slovak heritage, creating a deeply personal atmosphere that reflected the themes and origins of the book itself.

Throughout the evening, attendees heard about the inspiration behind Search for Freedom, a book that explores:

Paul’s upbringing in communist Czechoslovakia,
his migration to Australia in 2000,
the journey of building Fortix,
the importance of family, freedom, contribution, and meaningful work,
and reflections on the future of AI and humanity.

Conversations That Brought the Book to Life

Following Paul’s address, several special guests joined him on stage to share their own reflections and stories connected to the book and the journey behind it.

These included:

Isoné Olivier, who designed the book cover
Ben Auld, longtime friend
Alex Ardizzone, client and longtime friend

Their stories added another layer of depth and humanity to the evening, highlighting the relationships, experiences, and conversations that helped shape the pages of the book.

Formal proceedings concluded with a blessing by Dr Tania Watson and release of the book, followed by group photographs with family, contributors, friends, clients, and guests who wished to commemorate the occasion.

What made the evening especially meaningful was the incredible mix of people who came together to celebrate the launch of Search for Freedom, including family, friends, long-term clients, business professionals, creative collaborators, and members of the Fortix community. More than a traditional book launch, the event became a celebration of connection, resilience, entrepreneurship, and the shared pursuit of a meaningful life.

Pictured L-R: Karyn Clements, Albert DeGouveia, Ben Auld, Frank Kissel, Hannah Faix, Isoné Olivier, Maya Faix, Filip Faix, Denisa Faix, Paul Faix, Alex Ardizzone, Martina Kissel, Oliver Faix, Scallet Kissel, Chris Huff, Shoma Mitra, Sowmya Kyathanahalli Nanjappa and Sam Frahm.

About Search for Freedom

Search for Freedom explores Paul Faix’s journey from communist Slovakia to building a life, family, and technology company in Australia, while reflecting on freedom, entrepreneurship, adaptability, purpose, and the evolving relationship between humanity and AI.

The book combines memoir, business insight, personal reflection, and future-focused thinking to encourage readers to consider their own path toward meaningful work and contribution.