Event Details
Date: Thursday 24 July 2025
Time: 8:00am – 5:30pm AEST
Venue: Grand Hyatt, 123 Collins Street, Melbourne
Secure your spot today
Join us for the ARA x NRA Retail Crime Symposium 25!
The ARA x NRA Retail Crime Symposium 25 returns to Melbourne on Thursday 24 July 2025.
This is an event dedicated to fighting retail crime and building safer environments for our people, businesses, and communities.
As a powerful full-day symposium, we are bringing together top leaders from retail, government, and law enforcement to confront the industry’s most urgent safety challenges head-on.
What to Expect:
Inspiring Keynotes from national and international experts at the forefront of retail crime prevention
Expert Panel Conversations featuring leading voices from retail, law enforcement and government, exploring unified strategies to address organised retail crime, cyber threats and safety challenges
Engaging Roundtable Discussions that encourage strategic thinking and cross-sector collaboration
Real-World Case Studies providing actionable insights from retailers who are tackling crime and improving safety with success
From organised crime, loss prevention and cybercrime to workplace safety and community resilience, this is your chance to dive deep into the issues, spark meaningful conversations and walk away with solutions you can apply in your organisation.
Don’t miss this opportunity to be part of the national conversation and shape the future of retail crime prevention in Australia.
Designed for professionals involved in retail safety and crime prevention, including:
- Retail executives & business owners
- Loss prevention & asset protection leaders
- Store & operations managers
- Cybersecurity & IT security specialists
- Risk, legal & compliance teams
- HR & people leaders
- Security & facilities managers
- Government & law enforcement
- Industry & advocacy groups
Register now – this is the must-attend event of 2025!
Single Ticket
Speakers
Helen Cooney
Shop, Distributive and Allied Employee’s Association (SDA)
National Assistant Secretary
Helen Cooney is the National Assistant Secretary of the Shop, Distributive & Allied Employees’ Association. Helen started in retail at a chicken shop and then sold music in a David Jones.
She also stacked shelves overnight in a Big W. In the 1990s, she joined and became a workplace delegate for the SDA, where she returned in 2019 as the Principal Policy Officer working on superannuation and industry training.
Helen is a member of the Retail Employee Safety Council and a Trustee Director at REST Industry Super – the super fund for retail, warehousing and fast food. She holds qualifications in law, directorship, trusteeship and business coaching.
Sarah Faorlin
Head of Acts of Violence & Aggression
Woolworths Group
Sarah is the Head of Acts of Violence and Aggression for Woolworths Group encompassing Supermarkets AU & NZ, Big W, Metro, EcomX as well as broader group business units. Sarah leads a squad of subject matter experts from across Woolworths Group who actively partner with industry, Police and Government to implement preventative solutions to retail violence. Sarah is accountable for the development and execution of strategic objectives across the Woolworths Group relating to Acts of Violence and Aggression whilst navigating emerging risks and challenges in this critical space.
Sarah brings 25 years of extensive retail leadership experience within the Woolworths Group across various senior roles in Operations, Human Resources, Commercial Buying, Stock Loss and Safety.
Kesara Kumaraperuma
National Retail Loss Business Partner
Myer Group
Kesara comes from a legal background and has experience in governance and strategic advisory roles prior to joining Myer. Currently, Kesara serves as the National Retail Loss Business Partner at Myer.
In this dynamic role, Kesara spearheads transformative strategies in retail operations, focused on protecting people and profit.
Their responsibilities encompass strategic planning and oversight of critical initiatives that align with Myer’s overarching goals, with a primary focus on operational efficiency and governance.
Kesara works closely with Myer’s executive leadership team and stores to identify and maximize opportunities, supporting the delivery of the Myer Group Strategy in line with Myer’s financial imperatives.
Nathan Lee
Branch Manager of the Legal and Framework Policy Branch
Safe Work Australia
Nathan Lee is Branch Manager of the Legal and Framework Policy Branch at Safe Work Australia. He has held a variety of government policy roles on issues including national security, foreign investment and WHS. Nathan grew up in Queensland and, before his career in government, was a Mandarin language teacher.
Nick McDonnell
Senior Director – Trust & Safety, Global Public Policy
Auror
Nick leads Auror’s public policy, trust and safety functions including privacy and assurance, regulatory and government engagement, and communications.
Prior to Auror, Nick worked in public policy for a global technology company across areas such as election integrity, counter terrorism, combating online fraud and child protection.
He is a barrister and solicitor (New Zealand admitted) and holds qualifications in laws, political science and public administration. Nick lives in Sydney.
Michael Schneider
Managing Director
Bunnings Group
Michael was appointed Managing Director, Bunnings Group in May 2017 following his appointment as Managing Director, Bunnings Australia & New Zealand in March 2016. Prior to this, Michael led the store operations teams across Bunnings Australia and New Zealand, after joining Bunnings in 2005.
Before joining Bunnings, Michael held a range of senior operational, commercial and human resource roles across regional and national markets, both in retail and financial services businesses.
Michael holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of NSW and has completed the Advanced Management Program at INSEAD, and the Advanced Strategic Management Program at IMD. Outside of Bunnings, Michael supports a range of not-for-profit and community organisations.
He holds board roles with the Corporate Mental Health Alliance of Australia, Melbourne United basketball club and is also a board member of the Global Home Improvement Network, representing some of the world’s leading Home Improvement businesses. In addition, Michael chairs FightMND.
David Ojerholm
Partner & Company Director
The Initatives Group
Bringing over 40 year’s experience in financial services, he has specialised in payments for the past 8 years as Partner and Company Director at The Initiatives Group, a leading payments consultancy. His focus is delivering actionable insights and outcomes whether advising, implementing or managing initiatives in payments, consumer and merchant loyalty, preference and payment programs on behalf of card issuers, payments acquirers, international and domestic payment schemes, airlines and retailers.
In his career he has been responsible for businesses in China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Japan and Australia, as well as numerous groundbreaking initiatives in the payment card loyalty space.
David has a Bachelor of Commerce (Marketing) from University of NSW, an MBA from the Australian Graduate School of Management and has been a Graduate Member of the AICD.
Ed Russell
Group National Operations Risk & Protection Manager
Endeavour Group
Ed Russell, Endeavour Group’s National Operations Risk & Protection Manager, brings 15 years of senior leadership from Coles and Endeavour. With experience in retail since 2001, he transitioned to Operations Risk and Protection two and a half years ago.
His focus is safeguarding Endeavour’s 30,000+ team members across their retail and hotel network. His extensive experience spans diverse retail functions, driving a relentless commitment to team safety and security through both internal and external strategies.
Meg Zalewski
General Manager – Retail
Rebel Group
Favourite sporting team? I’m a huge tennis fan, so less teams and more players. However, since arriving in Australia, I’ve embraced lots of new sports, particularly the Matildas, AFL (Sydney Swans) and getting more into Rugby League (Sharks supporter). A Watford FC and Union Saracens supporter (born and bred), means I know how deal with regularly popping up and down into the EPL ☹!
Why rebel? I’m probably one of the most competitive people you will meet and finding a company where this is celebrated for the wins you create as a team rather than a negative, is testament to the culture we are building here at rebel! Most memorable moment in your rebel career? So far it would have to be delivering on our Omni Allocation strategy, Project Kondo’s quick wins (eliminating Pallet scanning) and winning SRG “Rookie of the Year”
Fleur Brown
Chief Industry Affairs Officer
Australian Retailers Association
Fleur leads the Industry Affairs portfolio for the ARA which encompasses policy and advocacy, media, marketing, events and partnerships.
Fleur has worked as an executive leader in government, media, marketing industries and prior to joining the ARA ran the award-winning Launch Group agency which was responsible government and investor relations, advocacy and media management for many leading Australian brands and public entities.
With a rich background in technology and innovation, she is a former Director of TechSydney, a founding team member of StartupAUS (now Tech Council Australia) a founding director of TEDxSydney and founder and producer the Nine Network’s Entrepreneurs TV show.
Fleur is author of the business book The Business of Being You.
Lindsay Carroll
Interim Chief Executive Officer
National Retail Association
As the Deputy CEO and Legal Practice Director at the National Retail Association, Lindsay (she/her) oversees one of the largest in-house team of workplace relations advisors and lawyers orientated to the retail and quick services industries.
Lindsay is a leading workplace relations specialist and regularly provides advice on the full spectrum of workplace relations and work health and safety in Australia.
Compliance with workplace laws can be challenging but with an unwavering focus on delivering practical support to NRA’s members and clients, Lindsay’s team consistently achieves solid outcomes for the retail industry.
Lindsay is also an experienced work health and safety lawyer with experience in work health and safety management system review, incident response and management and in defending criminal prosecutions arising from safety incidents.
Lindsay started her legal career with global law firm, Norton Rose Fulbright and prior to joining the NRA, was a trusted advisor to the mining, oil and gas, and construction sectors in an employer association to the resources industry.
Ryan Swenson
Director of Policy & Advocacy
Australian Retailers Association
Ryan is an experienced executive recognised for delivering impact-led growth through business transformation and innovation, uniting diverse stakeholders around shared goals to drive meaningful outcomes.
He specialises in aligning business strategies with commercial, social and environmental objectives to create lasting value.
Holding an MBA in Strategic Carbon Management, Ryan is committed to driving systems change and advocating for outcomes that enable a more sustainable, impactful and prosperous future.
Agenda
8.00 AM: Registration, Refreshments and Networking
9.00 AM: Welcoming
9.30 AM: Risk
Welcome to Country
- Uncle Allen Madden, Gadigal Elder
Dance Performance
- Jannawi Dance Clan
Welcome to ARA Leaders Forum 25
- Fleur Brown, Chief Industry Affairs Officer, Australian Retailers Association
Retail Endurance: Seizing Opportunities in Change and Challenge
- Nicole Sheffield, President, Australian Retailers Association
The Australian Retail Council – A United Voice
- Nicole Sheffield, President, Australian Retailers Association
- Antony Moore, Chair, National Retail Association
10.30 AM: Retail Crime
Welcome to Country
- Uncle Allen Madden, Gadigal Elder
Dance Performance
- Jannawi Dance Clan
Welcome to ARA Leaders Forum 25
- Fleur Brown, Chief Industry Affairs Officer, Australian Retailers Association
Retail Endurance: Seizing Opportunities in Change and Challenge
- Nicole Sheffield, President, Australian Retailers Association
The Australian Retail Council – A United Voice
- Nicole Sheffield, President, Australian Retailers Association
- Antony Moore, Chair, National Retail Association
