The latest trends in the rapidly changing retail landscape will be revealed when global retail consultant and former head of David Jones Paul Zahra takes the stage for an interactive Q&A with retail executives in Sydney next month.
Retail software vendor Futura Retail Solution is hosting the event – on May 19 – to mark the launch of Futura4POS, a reliable, scalable and high-performance POS platform that integrates with all the popular ERP systems and delivers real-time reporting to inform management decisions.
Futura’s Australian CEO, Craig Downing, said the event, which also features comments from NORA Chairman and DealsDirect founder Paul Greenberg, will enable retailers to ask burning questions about technology development and customer trends likely to affect their businesses.
“Retailers work long hours and are time poor,” Mr Downing said. “This is a rare opportunity for them to get their questions answered by an industry expert with over 30 years’ experience in the Australian retail sector, including senior roles at David Jones, Officeworks, Georges and Target.
Mr Zahra, who was CEO and managing director of David Jones from 2010 to 2014, is credited with reversing the ailing fortunes of Australia’s oldest department store during the toughest retail trading conditions in 25 years. Not only did he stabilise the business and achieve strong sales growth, but he introduced digital and online strategies to turn the company into an omnichannel retailer and cement its leadership role in the Australian retail market.
Mr Zahra said he welcomes the opportunity to share his expertise about the emerging trends likely to impact Australian retailers.
“In my role as global retail advisor, I am seeing many subtle changes that are gaining momentum that retailers need to be thinking about,” he said. “I am looking forward to doing a Q&A with 200 of Australia’s leading retail executives about the changing retail landscape.”
