Join Maria O'Halloran as she shares her journey with Ballantynes Department Store at this year’s Retail Conference in Auckland this November.
Navigating the Evolution: The Ballantynes Story and the Future of Retail
J Ballantyne & Co Ltd, known to most as Ballantynes, is a family-owned business that was established in 1854 – making 2024 its 170th year in operation. With its flagship store in Christchurch’s central city and stores in Timaru, Invercargill, plus a partner store – Seasalt Cornwall in Milford Auckland, Ballantynes is considered by many as an iconic Cantabrian business.
A true Department store offering with over 36 departments from accessories to homewares. Ballantynes offers a curation of leading national and international brands including many exclusive to New Zealand such as Pottery Barn and West Elm.
Maria O’Halloran has been the CEO of Ballantynes since 2013. During this time, she has steered the organisation through various milestones and challenges including a post-earthquake rebuild project to navigating the business during a global pandemic.
Maria is the Chair of the BrainTree Wellness Centre – an innovative, first-of-its-kind facility in Christchurch that supports people living with neurological conditions to live well in the community.
In her spare time, Maria finds physical challenges are a powerful stress release and is currently training for her next Adventure Race. In this she will run, bike, raft and navigate for anything between six to twelve hours – depending on her team’s ability to not get lost along the way.
Discover how Maria has tackled challenges and navigated the ever-evolving retail landscape at Retail Conference this November. Maria will compare the strengths of bricks & mortar versus online shopping and provide her vision for the future of department stores in New Zealand.
You’ll gain insights from one of the industry’s leading voices and learn strategies to thrive in today’s dynamic market. Retail Conference promises to leave you better connected, informed and inspired.