The 2024 conference programme has been curated by Property Council’s ESG brains trust for property professionals just like you. Please note this programme is subject to change as details are confirmed.
Leonie Freeman
CEO, Property Council New Zealand
Morning Tea
Lunchtime
Katherine Wilson
Head of Advocacy, Property Council New Zealand
Afternoon Tea
Nadine Higgins (nee Chalmers-Ross) is an award-winning journalist and broadcaster with extensive experience across television, radio, newspapers and magazines. Nadine is renowned as a fiercely intelligent, articulate and engaging MC and we very much look forward to welcoming her to RECON23.
Tony Alexander was Chief Economist at the BNZ for almost 25 years and has been out on his own as an independent economist since late-2019.
He distributes the free weekly “Tony’s View” publication to over 25,000 subscribers each week, writes a weekly column for OneRoof, has a weekly video blog, and speaks at about 80 functions a year around New Zealand. He also runs six monthly surveys which give coalface insight into what is happening in NZ industry and the housing market in particular.
In this enlightening and engaging session, Tony will give an in-depth look at the current economic climate and how it impacts Aotearoa’s retail sector.
With nearly 20 years of design experience. Chris is across every aspect of the business and every single project. Constantly jumping between driving creative direction, forging new business opportunities and the day-to-day management of the practice, Chris lives for design. Chris has travelled extensively and as such, understands the essence of human needs in a social context. Having established CTRL Space in 2009, Chris has seen all manner of business dynamics – from the GFC of ‘08, the retail boom of 2018 and a global pandemic, nothing comes as a shock anymore.
Chris’ insistence on the functionality of design has seen the business provide not only award winning design solutions, but highly profitable and longstanding venues for his clients.
Chris will be exploring how investment in a considered design approach can help steer spending decisions, how to ensure key design aesthetics align with the product or service on offer, the psychology of spending through a design lens and connecting a design and brand.
Tim started in retail in Australia in 1988, moving from stock hand to business owner in 1992. In 1995, he moved to its largest customer – Harvey Norman with various roles from buyer to franchisee to 2IC of the computer and communications division.
In 2002 Tim joined the partnership business (with HN) of international luxury
goods retailer Space Furniture as GM and in 2004 became Managing Director.
In 2009 Tim joined Noel Leeming Group as COO, overseeing 90 stores nationally over two brands before the group was acquired by The Warehouse Group, when he became CEO, then dual CEO of Torpedo7.
In 2020, Tim became COO for the group and was responsible for the sales functions of The Warehouse, Warehouse Stationery, Noel Leeming, TWG Commercial (B2B) and TWG Services, as well as store operations and store development. Tim departed in 2021 to become a consultant via his advisory business, Destiny Business Services.
Last year, Tim joined JB Hi-Fi as Managing Director for New Zealand, where he is leading the JBNZ RESET program to double JBNZ’s business and help the business realise its potential in the New Zealand market.
As an international retailer with decades of experience, Tim joins us to talk about the differences between the New Zealand market and offshore.