FuturePlace hosted its second annual Malls of the Future Summit, which ran with much fanfare on 6th March in Sydney. The event was attended by almost 350 retail leaders, landlords, developers, tenants, investors, designers and technology executives.
Malls of the Future is an industry Summit, featuring more than 50 leading industry speakers ranging from landlords, real estate professionals, retailers as well as the technology companies enabling the industry to grow and thrive in 2024 and beyond.
“Stepping into the Malls of the Future Summit was like entering a dynamic realm where tenants and landlords converged, sparking synergies and outcomes that danced beyond the norm. With its stellar content and vibrant networking, it became a refreshing oasis for property professionals to collaborate and glean fascinating insights into the future of retail. Huge shoutout to FuturePlace for curating such an invigorating and thought-provoking experience,” said Anna Strzelczykowski, Head of Property & Retail Development, Lorna Jane.
The tenant panel included speakers from Optus, Lorna Jane, NRA, Chatime and Woolworths
The Malls of the Future Summit showcased the latest advancements, strategies, and insights from some of the biggest and best shopping centre owners, operators and retailers who are revolutionising the approach to retail real estate assets. In addition to Australia’s leaders, international keynotes included Chris Chong, Chief Executive Officer for Retail at CapitaLand Investments Singapore. Chong delved into CapitaLand’s portfolio strategy through a compelling case study, which provided attendees with valuable insights into how to navigate the dynamic landscape of modern retail as well as joining the retail leaders’ outlook panel.
“I would like to extend my heartfelt thanks to FuturePlace for inviting me as a keynote speaker and panellist at this year’s Malls of the Future Summit. It was a pleasure to meet and exchange notes with the community of landlords and retailers from the ANZ region, and I look forward to having more meaningful engagements. I hope fellow retail leaders had insightful takeaways from my sharing of CapitaLand’s multi-faceted strategy redefining the retail experience of the future and transforming our malls into vibrant lifestyle hubs beyond mere shopping destinations,” said Chong.
Chris Chong, Chief Executive Officer for Retail at CapitaLand Investments Singapore
Complementing the international perspective, industry leaders from Scentre Group, Vicinity Centres, Charter Hall, Mirvac, 151 Property and SRL also provided valuable insights.
The Summit brought together the brightest minds in the industry to explore the future of retail spaces and the evolving direction of malls. With an exhibition of more than 20 companies and leading industry partners such as CBRE, the Summit showcased the latest innovations and technologies, paving the way for retailers and mall operators.
“CBRE had the pleasure of being Diamond Partners at this year’s Malls of the Future Summit 2024, which brought together industry experts, thought leaders, and innovators. The discussions were informative and engaging and allowed us to strengthen valuable relationships with like-minded professionals. I recommend this event to anyone looking to stay ahead of the curve in the ever-changing world of retail,” said Sheree Griff, National Head of Retail Property Management, CBRE.
According to event organisers, a quarter of next year’s partnership opportunities are already allocated. The next Malls of the Future Summit is scheduled for 5th of March 2025 in Sydney.
