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Programme
Retail's Next Chapter Starts Here
The 2025 conference programme has been curated by the Retail Committee brainstrust for property professionals just like you.
Please note this is a preliminary programme and is subject to change.
1:00pm – 5:30pm Retail Site Tour
This pre-conference tour featured some of the most exciting retail developments in Westgate Town Centre — a thriving retail destination that’s redefining the way Auckland shops, eats and connects.
Explore some of the area’s most exciting developments, including:
Costco – the international giant making waves in the Kiwi market
Foodie Asian Supermarket – a new culinary hotspot
Westgate Food Hub – home to Taco Bell, KFC, Carl’s Jr. and Starbucks
👉 Register here 👈
Sponsored by
Please note: Site tours are exclusively for RECON25 attendees, but are not included in the general admission ticket and will need to be purchased in addition to your registration. Limited spaces are available.
7:45 am Registration desk open
8:45 am Conference Opening
Nadine Higgins
Master of Ceremonies
8:50 am Welcome
Leonie Freeman
Chief Executive, Property Council New Zealand
8:55 am Premier Sponsor Address
9:00 am Government Update
Speaker to be announced
9:20 am A Retail Market Outlook
Speaker to be announced
9:50 am Opening Keynote | How AI is powering the next wave of retail innovation
Justin Flitter
AI Keynote Speaker
10:30 am Paramanawa
Morning Tea
11:00 am Retail Committee Update
Michael Sweetman
Chair, Retail Committee
11:05 am IKEA case study
Fabian Winterbine
Expansion Manager, IKEA Australia & New Zealand
11:35 am Panel
Speakers to be announced
12:15 pm Tina
Lunchtime
1:10 pm Property Council Advocacy Update
Katherine Wilson
Head of Advocacy, Property Council New Zealand
1:20 pm The CBD is Dead. Long Live the City Centre
Ben van Bruggen
Founder, The Urban Room Foundation | Director, van Bruggen Urbanism
1:50 pm Session
Speaker to be announced
2:30 pm Paramanawa
Afternoon Tea
3:00 pm Session
Speaker to be announced
3:35 pm Session
Speaker to be announced
4:45 pm Conference Closing
Leonie Freeman
Chief Executive, Property Council New Zealand
5:00-7:15 pm Martelli McKegg Networking Function
Nadine Higgins
Master of Ceremonies
Leading business journalist, news presenter and professional host
Biography
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.
Nadine’s background in broadcasting and business journalism means she can quickly get to grips with complex topics, moderate multi-person panels and think on her feet when the best laid plans go awry.
Biography
A well-respected industry leader, Leonie has extensive experience in the New Zealand property industry, having held top positions in both the public and private sector. From creating the concept of what is now realestate.co.nz, to buying and transforming her own residential property management business, helping establish the new Auckland Council, and managing asset development for Housing New Zealand, there’s not many areas of property that Leonie has not touched.
In 2011, Leonie was appointed to the board of NZX listed company Goodman Property Trust, and up until her 2018 appointment as Property Council’s Chief Executive, she dedicated her time to leading an independent philanthropic initiative to solve Auckland’s housing crisis.
Leonie holds a Master of Commerce, majoring in valuation and property management and is a life member of the Property Institute of New Zealand, a chartered member of the Institute of Directors, and a member of Global Women. In 2017 she was awarded the Property Institute’s Supreme Property Award, and the Property Council Auckland Property People Judges Choice Award, and in 2020 she received the prestigious Bledisloe Medal from Lincoln University.
Justin Flitter founded New Zealand.AI in 2017 to help business leaders discover why, where, and how to leverage this remarkable new technology. Today, NewZealand.AI is the go-to platform for Kiwi companies embarking on their AI journey.
Justin’s career as a tech marketer and senior business leader complements his passion for community and events. In 2000, he founded one of New Zealand’s first business incubators, marking the beginning of his journey in fostering innovation and supporting startups. Since 2012, Justin has been a producer and emcee of TEDxAuckland, bringing cutting-edge ideas and inspiration to the forefront of public discourse.
9:50 am How AI is powering the next wave of retail innovation
AI is no longer a future concept—it’s here, and it’s changing retail today. In this dynamic session, the founder of NewZealand.AI Justin Flitter will guide you through the latest AI innovations transforming the way retailers operate, market and serve customers.
From hyper-personalised shopping experiences and predictive stock management to AI-driven customer service and automated marketing, you’ll see how AI is helping retailers work smarter, move faster and stay ahead. Justin will cut through the noise and showcase real-world examples already making an impact in Aotearoa and globally.
Whether you’re running a retail empire or just starting out, this session will give you practical insights, bold predictions and the confidence to explore what’s next. Get ready to reimagine what’s possible in the AI-powered retail era.
Fabian Winterbine is the Expansion Manager for IKEA Australia & New Zealand and brings over 30 years of experience across markets, roles, and projects within IKEA—the world’s largest home furnishing retailer.
With a background in visual merchandising and retail design, Fabian began his IKEA journey in a small Melbourne store and has since played a key role in the brand’s growth across multiple regions.
He has held senior leadership roles across Australia, China, and the Asia Pacific region, and has contributed to projects in the UK, Europe, Asia, and the United States. Now based in Sydney, Fabian leads the IKEA omnichannel market entry into New Zealand, including its first store in Auckland, opening in late 2025.
Known for his collaborative leadership and customer-focused approach, Fabian brings valuable insights into large-scale retail expansion and its role in shaping inclusive, future-ready spaces for an increasingly digital retail landscape.
11:05 am IKEA Case Study
Details to come.
Reid is an experienced architect and versatile creative director, specialising in the strategy, design and delivery of next-generation retail experiences. With an unwavering passion for working with both retailers and property owners, Reid’s unique skillset encourages an unlocking of value and innovation across the broader built environment and customer experience spectrum. In his role as Chief Experience Officer and Head of Architecture & Interiors at multidisciplinary creative agency, The General Store, Reid and his team have become a highly sought after household name in the industry, consistently delivering award-winning projects across various sectors around the world. From flagship stores and first-to-market retail concepts, to large scale mixed-use precincts and retail developments, the studio proudly support some of Australia and New Zealand’s most prominent retail businesses and property owners – including Rebel Sport, BCF, Supercheap Auto, Michael Hill, Baby Bunting, Briscoe’s Group (NZ), Dedes Hospitality Group, Fitness First, Endeavour Group, Vicinity Centres, GPT Group, Dexus, and Sydney Airport as well as various independent property owners and e-commerce retailers.
The Future of Retail – Insights from Around the World
Step inside the fast-evolving world of retail with Reid Nakou, Chief Experience Officer & Head of Design from The General Store, as he shares the latest global insights and standout innovation shaping the industry. Drawing on fresh intel from the 2025 World Retail Congress, Reid will spotlight the macroeconomic trends and key growth drivers retailers are focusing on to future-proof their businesses. He will dive into G-Store’s exclusive list of the “Top 10 World’s Coolest Retailers” – a curated showcase of the most creative, disruptive, and awe-inspiring brands from across the globe. These examples offer powerful lessons in experience design, customer engagement, and boundary-pushing retail strategy. Bringing it closer to home, Reid will also highlight one or two cutting-edge New Zealand projects, offering a behind-the-scenes look at how world-class innovation is being brought to life in our own backyard. Expect inspiration, insight—and a few bold ideas to steal.
Ben van Bruggen is a passionate urbanist and founder of The Urban Room Foundation, a charitable trust championing public participation in city-shaping. He’s leading efforts to create Auckland’s first Urban Room – a civic gallery and gathering space for collective action on complex urban challenges.
With nearly 30 years of experience in urban design, urban regeneration and planning, Ben has worked on large-scale regeneration projects across the UK, Europe, China and New Zealand, including as Director at Savills and head of design strategy for Auckland Council. His work bridges public and private sectors, property development, and as a government advisor on the value of good design, always with a focus on creating places people love – and cities that work for everyone.
1:20 pm The CBD is Dead. Long Live the City Centre.
The future of the city is shaped by its ability to support a successful core. What does the future hold for our city centres? Urban strategist Ben van Bruggen explores the evolving role of the city and city centre in a post-pandemic world, asking the big question: How do we make our cities thrive again? Drawing on international experience, Ben will unpack what’s working, what’s not, and what we can learn. From the evolution of work to changing retail behaviours and residential growth, this session dives into the shifting dynamics shaping our urban cores and how urban rooms are leading the agenda for change. With his deep expertise in urban design and planning, Ben will offer insight into how we can reimagine the city centre as more than just a place to shop — transforming it into a place like no other.
Biography
As Property Council’s Head of Advocacy, Katherine is tasked with leading our advocacy campaigns at both a regional and national level.
Level-headed and engaging, Katherine has both a law degree from Otago University and an arts degree (majoring in politics) from Auckland University. With solid experience as a policy analyst and advisor in Wellington and Auckland, she has extensive networks and solid analytical skills.
Katherine is hugely dedicated, highly intelligent and committed to ensuring the voice of our members is heard at all levels of governance. She’s also relentlessly positive and enjoys a good chat.
1:10 pm Property Council Advocacy Update
In this quickfire 10-minute session, Katherine will provide members with a snapshot of Property Council’s current workstreams, what’s on the horizon and how you can get involved to help champion the property industry.
Michael Sweetman
Chair, Property Council Retail Committee
Project Director, Precinct Properties
Biography
Michael Sweetman is an experienced property professional with a deep understanding of the retail property sector. Working as a Project Director at Precinct Properties, Michael is currently leading the Bowen Campus and Willis Lane retail redevelopment project in Wellington.
These projects follow on from a role at Precinct delivering the retail at Commercial Bay. Commercial Bay is a transformational development which has redefined the Auckland CBD retail landscape and has set a new standard for retail and hospitality within New Zealand.
Prior to joining Precinct, Michael worked at AMP Capital on a variety of development projects and also held a retail Asset management role. Development projects completed at AMP capital included the Imperial building (Louis Vuitton and Gucci) and 45 Queen Street (Prada and Dior) which cemented lower Queen Street as a luxury retail precinct. Michael’s property career includes a property research role and working on behalf of retailers to procure sites and manage their retail portfolios.
11:00 am Retail Committee Update
Michael Sweetman, Chair of the Property Council Retail Committee will give us an update from our Retail committee and how you can get involved.