Program
Get ready for the ultimate retail experience of 2024!
Our conference program is packed with a fantastic assortment of hot topics and deep dives into the key retail issues that matter – there’s something in our agenda for everyone!
Stay at the forefront of industry innovation as we delve into the exciting world of artificial intelligence and cutting-edge retail innovations. Catch all the must-see moments from the 2024 NRF Big Show and much more.
You won’t want to miss this extraordinary lineup with keynotes, fireside chats, and panel discussions with the most influential leaders in the retail industry, all on one stage!
Program as of 16 February 2024 and is subject to change
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| Time | Session | Topic |
| 8.00am | Registration open | |
| 9.00am – 10.30am | Session one | Retail’s remarkable tomorrow: Unlocking our future vision Hosted by Paul Zahra, Chief Executive Officer, Australian Retailers Association |
| 9.00am | Welcome to Country, Cr Yvonne Weldon, City of Sydney | |
| 9.10am | Official welcome: Paul Zahra, Chief Executive Officer, Australian Retailers Association Presenting Partner welcome: Lisa Belcher, Vice President, Merchant Partnerships, American Express |
|
| 9.20am | President’s address: Navigating our future vision – challenges and opportunities, Nicole Sheffield, President, Australian Retailers Association and Managing Director, Wesfarmers OneDigital | |
| 9.30am | Keynote address: Allegra Spender, Independent Member for Wentworth | |
| 9.40am | EXCLUSIVE keynote: Which global megatrends will influence Australian retail fortunes? Dr Claire Naughtin, Senior Research Consultant, CSIRO’s Data 61 | |
| 10.30am – 11.00am | Morning tea | |
| 11.00am – 12.30pm | Session two | Cultivating customer obsession Hosted by Fleur Brown, Chief Industry Affairs Officer, Australian Retailers Association |
| 11.00am | EXCLUSIVE fireside chat: Michael Schneider, Managing Director, Bunnings Group on crafting customer loyalty via innovative products and experiences in conversation with Paul Zahra, Chief Executive Officer, Australian Retailers Association | |
| 11.20am | PANEL: Nurturing a culture of customer obsession Hosted by Lisa Belcher, Vice President, Merchant Partnerships, American Express, and featuring Stephen Younane, Co-Founder & Chief Executive Officer, Retail Prodigy Group, Jane McNally, Outgoing Chief Executive Officer, Camilla Australia, Jana Kotatko, Executive, Telstra, and Emmanuel Vavoulas, Chief Executive Officer, Blooms the Chemist |
|
| 11.50am | EXCLUSIVE keynote: Reimagining the customer experience for Australia’s largest retail network with Josh Bannister, Executive General Manager Retail, Australia Post | |
| 12.10pm | KEYNOTE: Decoding the 2024 Retail Landscape – Key digital trends shaping the future of shopping with Sheerien Salindera, APAC Digital Strategy Lead, Adobe | |
| 12.25pm | EXCLUSIVE Fireside chat: Customer centricity and the role it has played in Kmart Group’s success with Ian Bailey, Managing Director, Kmart Group. Hosted by Dr Eloise Zoppos, ACRS Research & Engagement Director, Australian Consumer and Retail Studies (ACRS), Department of Marketing, Monash Business School | |
| 12.40pm – 1.30pm | Lunch | |
| 1.30pm – 3.00pm | Session three | Transformative workplace culture Hosted by Nathalie Rosette-Barber, Chief Operating Officer, Australian Retailers Association |
| 1.30pm | PANEL: Trailblazing workplace and culture trends – special insights from c-suite leaders in retail Hosted by Nathalie Rosette-Barber, Chief Operating Officer, Australian Retailers Association and featuring Ray Itaoui, Chief Executive Officer, Best and Less, and Sarah Hunter, Managing Director, Officeworks |
|
| 2.00pm | EXCLUSIVE fireside chat: Leah Weckert, Chief Executive Officer, Coles Group in conversation with Paul Zahra, Chief Executive Officer, Australian Retailers Association on pioneering sustainability, diversity, equality, and inclusion | |
| 2.25pm | Fireside chat: Retail hiring as a revenue driver Hosted by Josh Zywien, Chief Marketing Officer, Paradox in conversation with Danielle Lendich, Chief Executive Officer, Wendy’s New Zealand |
|
| 2.40pm | Special feature: From domestic violence to department of defence – How Aussie tech is saving team member lives in retail with Trav Heaven, Founder & Chief Executive Officer, Duress | |
| 2.50pm | Special announcement: Paul Zahra, Chief Executive Officer, Australian Retailers Association and Lisa Belcher, Vice President, Merchant Partnerships, American Express | |
| 3.00pm – 3.30pm | Afternoon tea | |
| 3.30pm – 5.00pm | Session four | The evolution of the modern consumer: Navigating retail trends Hosted by Professor Gary Mortimer, Professor of Marketing and Consumer Behaviour, QUT |
| 3.30pm | PANEL: Unlocking consumer insights Hosted by Professor Gary Mortimer, Professor of Marketing and Consumer Behaviour, QUT and featuring an expert panel on transformative customer trends, including Katrina Konstas, EVP, Country Manager and Head of Sales APAC, Afterpay, Maurice McCarthy, Managing Director, Customer Success, Optus, and Marcel Sieira, Chief Operating Officer GS1 Australia |
|
| 4.00pm | KEYNOTE: A glimpse into Australia’s economic future with Australia’s leading retail analysts with Michele Levine, Chief Executive Officer, Roy Morgan | |
| 4.15pm | KEYNOTE: A glimpse into Australia’s economic future with Australia’s leading retail analysts with Craig Woolford, Senior Retail Analyst, MST Marquee | |
| 4.30pm | EXCLUSIVE fireside chat: Jack Gance, Co-Founder, Chemist Warehouse A conversation with one of retail’s most influential icons hosted by Dr Eloise Zoppos, ACRS Research & Engagement Director, Australian Consumer and Retail Studies (ACRS), Department of Marketing, Monash Business School |
|
| 5.00pm-7.00pm | Retail rendezvous: The official ARA Leaders Forum cocktail party | |
Scroll up to click on the Day 2 program tab
| Time | Session | Topic |
| 8.00am | Registration open | |
| 9.00am – 10.30am | Session five | Revolutionising retail: The power of innovation Hosted by David Phillips, Partner, Deloitte Digital |
| 9.00am | Welcome to day two: Fleur Brown, Chief Industry Affairs Officer, Australian Retailers Association | |
| 9.05am | EXCLUSIVE keynote: Shaping the future of retail with global AI visionary Dr Kellie Nuttall, Lead Partner – AI Institute, Deloitte | |
| 9.40am | Dynamic showcase: Exclusive highlights from 2024 NRF Big Show – co-hosted by Fleur Brown, Chief Industry Affairs Officer, Australian Retailers Association and Shaun Broughton, Managing Director (APAC & Japan), Shopify | |
| 10.05am | PANEL: Innovation unveiled – our C-suite leaders decode retail’s future trends and respond to the 2024 NRF Big Show featuring Kieron Ritchard, CEO, Fantastic Furniture, Gareth Jude, CEO, Think UnCommon, and Hannah Udina, Head of Partnerships, Shopify | |
| 10.30am – 11.00am | Morning tea | |
| 11.00am – 12.30pm | Session six | Thriving in retail: Growth in a shifting economic landscape Hosted by Fleur Brown, Chief Industry Affairs Officer, Australian Retailers Association |
| 11.00am | EXCLUSIVE keynote: Mirja Viinanen, Chief Executive Officer and Chief Sustainability Officer, IKEA Australia on the future of retail and the role of transformation in driving business growth | |
| 11.20am | KEYNOTE: The Messy Middle – Presence, Personalisation, and AI with Renee Gamble, Managing Director, Google Australia | |
| 11.40am | Fireside Chat: Unlocking customer-led growth across your store network through localised, data-driven optimisation with Mick Moore, CEO and Co/founder Scalene Group and Claire Green, Head of Space Planning and Merchandise Support, Officeworks Hosted by Fleur Brown, Chief Industry Affairs Officer, Australian Retailers Association |
|
| 11.55am | Fireside chat: Disrupting the norm – unleashing strategic advantage in a challenging economy Hosted by Kate Box, Director, Global Business Group, Retail ANZ, Meta in conversation with Justin Gaggino, General Manager, Hismile |
|
| 12.20pm | KEYNOTE: Retail and e-commerce – navigating the evolving landscape with Andrea Quinn, Head of Retail, APAC, Lightspeed | |
| 12.35pm – 1.30pm | Lunch | |
| 1.30pm – 3.00pm | Session seven | Charting your path in retail: Exploring the limitless career opportunities Hosted by Fleur Brown, Chief Industry Affairs Officer, Australian Retailers Association |
| 1.30pm | Fireside chat: Retail as a career Featuring Karen Bozic, Group Chief Executive Officer, Craveable Brands and 2023 ARA Women Leaders in Retail Scholarship winner Debra Galle, General Manager, Non-Food Business Unit, Coles |
|
| 2.00pm | PANEL: Attracting and retaining talent Featuring Vicki Doyle, Chief Executive Officer, Rest Super, Angus McDonald, Chief Executive Officer, Barbeques Galore, and Faye Ilhan, Managing Director, WooliesX |
|
| 2.30pm | EXCLUSIVE fireside chat with Janet Menzies, Country Manager, Amazon | |
| 2.45pm | KEYNOTE: AI and retail talent – award-winning insights with Barb Hyman, Founder and Chief Executive Officer, Sapia.ai | |
| 3.00pm – 3.30pm | Afternoon tea | |
| 3.30pm – 5.00pm | Session eight | Leading with impact: Building sustainable businesses Hosted by Jason Robertson, Director Policy, Sustainability & Impact, Australan Retailers Association |
| 3.30pm | EXCLUSIVE keynote: The power of building community through inclusion – a message for our times with Craig Foster AM, Former Socceroo, Broadcaster, Adjunct Professor, Sport & Social Responsibility, Author, Human Rights Activist | |
| 4.10pm | PANEL: C-suite leaders discuss the evolving impact of sustainability, Reconciliation Action Plans, inclusive design, and more… Hosted by Jason Robertson, Director Policy, Sustainability & Impact, Australian Retailers Association and featuring, Kate Russell, Chief Executive Officer, Supply Nation, and Lisa Annese, Chief Executive Officer, Diversity Council Australia, and Kate Dundas, Executive Director, UN Global Compact Network Australia (UNGCNA) |
|
| 4.40pm | Official conference close: Paul Zahra, Chief Executive Officer, Australian Retailers Association | |
| 5.00pm | Conference concludes | |
Scroll up to click on the Day 1 program tab
Wednesday 21 February
8.00am | Registration opens
9.00am | Session one - Retail's remarkable tomorrow: Unlocking our future vision
Hosted by Paul Zahra, Chief Executive Officer, Australian Retailers Association
9.00am – Welcome to Country, Cr Yvonne Weldon, City of Sydney
9.10am – Official welcome: Paul Zahra, Chief Executive Officer, Australian Retailers Association
Presenting Partner welcome: Lisa Belcher, Vice President, Merchant Partnerships, American Express
9.20am – President’s address: Navigating our future vision – challenges and opportunities, Nicole Sheffield, President, Australian Retailers Association and Managing Director, Wesfarmers OneDigital
9.30am – Keynote address: Allegra Spender, Independent Member of Wentworth
9.40am – EXCLUSIVE keynote: Which global megatrends will influence Australian retail fortunes? Dr Claire Naughtin, Senior Research Consultant, CSIRO’s Data 61
10.30am | Morning tea
11.00am | Session two - Cultivating customer obsession
Hosted by Fleur Brown, Chief Industry Affairs Officer, Australian Retailers Association
11.00am – EXCLUSIVE fireside chat: Michael Schneider, Managing Director, Bunnings Group on crafting customer loyalty via innovative products and experiences in conversation with Paul Zahra, Chief Executive Officer, Australian Retailers Association
11.20am – PANEL: Nurturing a culture of customer obsession
Hosted by Lisa Belcher, Vice President, Merchant Partnerships, American Express, and featuring Stephen Younane, Co-Founder & Chief Executive Officer, Retail Prodigy Group, Jane McNally, Outgoing Chief Executive Officer, Camilla Australia, Jana Kotatko, Executive, Telstra, and Emmanuel Vavoulas, Chief Executive Officer, Blooms the Chemist
11.50am – EXCLUSIVE keynote: Reimagining the customer experience for Australia’s largest retail network with Josh Bannister, Executive General Manager Retail, Australia Post
12.10pm – KEYNOTE: Decoding the 2024 Retail Landscape – Key digital trends shaping the future of shopping with Sheerien Salindera, APAC Digital Strategy Lead, Adobe
12.25pm – EXCLUSIVE Fireside chat: Customer centricity and the role it has played in Kmart Group’s success with Ian Bailey, Managing Director, Kmart Group. Hosted by Dr Eloise Zoppos, ACRS Research & Engagement Director, Australian Consumer and Retail Studies (ACRS), Department of Marketing, Monash Business School
12.40pm | Lunch
1.30pm | Session three - Transformative workplace culture
Hosted by Nathalie Rosette-Barber, Chief Operating Officer, Australian Retailers Association
1.30pm – PANEL: Trailblazing workplace and culture trends – special insights from c-suite leaders in retail
Hosted by Nathalie Rosette-Barber, Chief Operating Officer, Australian Retailers Association and featuring Ray Itaoui, Chief Executive Officer, Best and Less, and Sarah Hunter, Managing Director, Officeworks
2.00pm – EXCLUSIVE fireside chat: Leah Weckert, Chief Executive Officer, Coles Group in conversation with Paul Zahra, Chief Executive Officer, Australian Retailers Association on pioneering sustainability, diversity, equality, and inclusion
2.25pm – Fireside chat: Retail hiring as a revenue driver
Hosted by Josh Zywien, Chief Marketing Officer, Paradox in conversation with Danielle Lendich, Chief Executive Officer, Wendy’s New Zealand
2.40pm – Special feature: From domestic violence to department of defence – How Aussie tech is saving team member lives in retail with Trav Heaven, Founder & Chief Executive Officer, Duress
2.50pm – Special announcement: Paul Zahra, Chief Executive Officer, Australian Retailers Association and Lisa Belcher, Vice President, Merchant Partnerships, American Express
3.00pm | Afternoon tea
3.30pm | Session four - The evolution of the modern consumer: Navigating retail trends
Hosted by Professor Gary Mortimer, Professor of Marketing and Consumer Behaviour, QUT
3.30pm – PANEL: Unlocking consumer insights
Hosted by Professor Gary Mortimer, Professor of Marketing and Consumer Behaviour, QUT and featuring an expert panel on transformative customer trends, including Katrina Konstas, EVP, Country Manager and Head of Sales APAC, Afterpay, Maurice McCarthy, Managing Director, Customer Success, Optus, and Marcel Sieira, Chief Operating Officer GS1 Australia
4.00pm – KEYNOTE: A glimpse into Australia’s economic future with Australia’s leading retail analysts with Michele Levine, Chief Executive Officer, Roy Morgan
4.15pm – KEYNOTE: A glimpse into Australia’s economic future with Australia’s leading retail analysts with Craig Woolford, Senior Retail Analyst, MST Marquee
4.30pm – EXCLUSIVE fireside chat: Jack Gance, Co-Founder, Chemist Warehouse
A conversation with one of retail’s most influential icons hosted by Dr Eloise Zoppos, ACRS Research & Engagement Director, Australian Consumer and Retail Studies (ACRS), Department of Marketing, Monash Business School
5.00pm | Retail rendezvous: The official ARA Leaders Forum cocktail party
Thursday 22 February
8.00am | Registration opens
9.00am | Session five - Revolutionising retail: The power of innovation
Hosted by David Phillips, Partner, Deloitte Digital
9.00am – Welcome to day two: Fleur Brown, Chief Industry Affairs Officer, Australian Retailers Association
9.05am – EXCLUSIVE keynote: Shaping the future of retail with global AI visionary Dr Kellie Nuttall, Lead Partner – AI Institute, Deloitte
9.40am – Dynamic showcase: Exclusive highlights from 2024 NRF Big Show – co-hosted by Fleur Brown, Chief Industry Affairs Officer, Australian Retailers Association and Shaun Broughton, Managing Director (APAC & Japan), Shopify
10.05am – PANEL: Innovation unveiled – our C-suite leaders decode retail’s future trends and respond to the 2024 NRF Big Show featuring Kieron Ritchard, CEO, Fantastic Furniture, Gareth Jude, CEO, Think UnCommon, and Hannah Udina, Head of Partnerships, Shopify
10.30am | Morning tea
11.00am | Session six - Thriving in retail: Growth in a shifting economic landscape
Hosted by Fleur Brown, Chief Industry Affairs Officer, Australian Retailers Association
11.00am – EXCLUSIVE keynote: Mirja Viinanen, Chief Executive Officer and Chief Sustainability Officer, IKEA Australia on the future of retail and the role of transformation in driving business growth
11.20am – KEYNOTE: The Messy Middle – Presence, Personalisation, and AI with Renee Gamble, Managing Director, Google Australia
11.40am – Fireside Chat: Unlocking customer-led growth across your store network through localised, data-driven optimisation with Mick Moore, CEO and Co/founder Scalene Group and Claire Green, Head of Space Planning and Merchandise Support, Officeworks
Hosted by Fleur Brown, Chief Industry Affairs Officer, Australian Retailers Association
11.55am – Fireside chat: Disrupting the norm – unleashing strategic advantage in a challenging economy
Hosted by Kate Box, Director, Global Business Group, Retail ANZ, Meta in conversation with Justin Gaggino, General Manager, Hismile
12.20pm – KEYNOTE: Retail and e-commerce – navigating the evolving landscape with Andrea Quinn, Head of Retail, APAC, Lightspeed
12.35pm | Lunch
1.30pm | Session seven - Charting your path in retail: Exploring the limitless career opportunities
Hosted by Fleur Brown, Chief Industry Affairs Officer, Australian Retailers Association
1.30pm – Fireside chat: Retail as a career
Featuring Karen Bozic, Group Chief Executive Officer, Craveable Brands and 2023 ARA Women Leaders in Retail Scholarship winner Debra Galle, General Manager, Non-Food Business Unit, Coles
2.00pm – PANEL: Attracting and retaining talent
Featuring Vicki Doyle, Chief Executive Officer, Rest Super, Angus McDonald, Chief Executive Officer, Barbeques Galore, and Faye Ilhan, Managing Director, WooliesX
2.30pm – EXCLUSIVE fireside chat with Janet Menzies, Country Manager, Amazon
2.45pm – KEYNOTE: AI and retail talent – award-winning insights with Barb Hyman, Founder and Chief Executive Officer, Sapia.ai
3.00pm | Afternoon tea
3.30pm | Session eight - Leading with impact: Building sustainable businesses
Hosted by Jason Robertson, Director Policy, Sustainability & Impact, Australan Retailers Association
3.30pm – EXCLUSIVE keynote: The power of building community through inclusion – a message for our times with Craig Foster AM, Former Socceroo, Broadcaster, Adjunct Professor, Sport & Social Responsibility, Author, Human Rights Activist
4.10pm – PANEL: C-suite leaders discuss the evolving impact of sustainability, Reconciliation Action Plans, inclusive design, and more…
Hosted by Jason Robertson, Director Policy, Sustainability & Impact, Australian Retailers Association and featuring, Kate Russell, Chief Executive Officer, Supply Nation, and Lisa Annese, Chief Executive Officer, Diversity Council Australia, and Kate Dundas, Executive Director, UN Global Compact Network Australia (UNGCNA)
4.40pm – Official conference close: Paul Zahra, Chief Executive Officer, Australian Retailers Association
5.00pm | Conference concludes
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