Could you tell us a bit about your significant successes in your role?

I have been very fortunate to be in a team and organisation that has afforded me ongoing opportunities which are interesting, challenging and diverse. Working closely with our digital team for the launch of Westfield Direct, a strategic online customer initiative, has been one of the highlights. My smooth transition into the property development side of the business, working with some very experienced property developers and legal practitioners, has been a steep trajectory in learning that area of the business. At Scentre Group, I have also been encouraged to participate on several diversity, equity and inclusion working groups, which has allowed me to connect with people in the business and contribute to the workplace culture in a different and meaningful way.

What is the biggest risk to your industry or organisation and how are you contributing to prepare your organisation for this?

There’s no denying, customer needs are changing and there is an increasing need to provide more opportunities for customers to access experiences, products and services, both in person and online. Over the past 12 months, Scentre Group has invested in rapidly expanding the Westfield ecosystem to engage with customers beyond our physical destinations, through the launch of Westfield Plus and Westfield Direct. Fortunately, this has given me the opportunity to work across both realms of our business. I’ve been able to provide legal support to the customer experience and digital teams, through the roll out of these initiatives, and I have provided legal support on the strategic development and management of our physical retail assets. This has given me a wealth of experience to draw from and a deep understanding of how online and physical can work together to drive value and growth.

What challenges have you overcome to get to the position you are in today?

After moving from private practice there was a transition period where I was out of my comfort zone. In private practise, you often are not privy to enough information to give you an intimate understanding of any client’s business. As an in-house lawyer, where you have a single client, I believe that to be successful you need to have that deeper understanding of your company’s business, especially its commercial drivers and risk appetite, which are always pivoting and evolving. By investing in professional relationships within the organisation, whilst also continuing to develop my technical legal and commercial skills, I feel that I have overcome that initial feeling of discomfort and given myself a greater chance of success.