Anthony Mellowes, Chief Executive Officer of SCA Property Group, has been elected as the new Chairman of the Shopping Centre Council of Australia (SCCA) following the retirement of Peter Allen from the role.
Peter Allen, Chief Executive Officer of Scentre Group, is the longest serving Chair of the Council, having served for seven years including leading the council and its members through the height of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Elliott Rusanow, CEO-elect of Scentre Group, and Michael O’Brien, Global Head of Real Estate of Queensland Investment Corporation, have been elected as Deputy Chairs. Rusanow and O’Brien replace Kelly Miller, Head of Retail, Mirvac, as Deputy Chairs of the Council (Mellowes was formerly a Deputy Chair).
The Shopping Centre Council of Australia is the national advocacy group for Australia’s major shopping centre companies. The appointments are effective 12 August 2022 for a period of three years.
Peter Allen said: “Leading the Shopping Centre Council of Australia for the past seven years has been a privilege. I’m very proud of the work of the Council and the pivotal role our members play in the Australian community and economy. It has been an honour to represent our interests amongst federal and state policymakers to build a deeper understanding of the societal and economic value we create. I would like to thank my fellow directors and the SCCA management for their outstanding work. I am very confident the new leadership will continue to enhance our trusted role and standing in the community and extend our influence amongst government and policymakers and contribute to the industry’s growth. I wish Anthony, Elliott and Michael the very best.”
Peter Allen, CEO of Scentre Group, is the longest serving Chair of the Council
Anthony Mellowes is the founding CEO of SCA Property Group, and has had careers with the Woolworths Group, Lendlease and Westfield. He has been a Director of the Shopping Centre Council of Australia since 2015.
Mellowes said: “I would like to pay tribute to Peter Allen for his unwavering leadership over the past seven years, especially leading our members throughout the pandemic.
“Peter leaves some incredible legacies for the industry, including the creation of the Frank Lowy Fellowship, ensuring shopping centres remained open for the community during COVID-19 and formed part of the public health response by hosting COVID-testing and vaccination clinics, the ACCC’s 10-year reauthorisation of the Casual Mall Licensing Code and our industry’s work in relation to self-harm and suicide prevention”.
“I would also thank Kelly Miller, our former Deputy Chair, who was actively involved in all areas of the Council’s activities.
“I am honoured to have been elected as Chair of the SCCA. Since its inception in the late 1990s, the SCCA has remained 100% focused on its members and being an advocacy group focused on evidence-based policy making. Our industry plays an integral role in the lives of Australian communities and generates direct and indirect economic benefits across state and territory economies.
“I am looking forward, together with our Deputy Chairs, fellow directors, members and staff, to directing the Council in its public policy advocacy on behalf of the shopping centre industry in Australia.”
Mellowes said an immediate priority is to ensure sensible outcomes on several current reviews on retail lease legislation and competition policy.
Members of the Shopping Centre Council of Australia include Abacus, AMP Capital Investors, AXA Investment Managers, Blackstone Group, Brookfield Office Properties, Challenger, Charter Hall Retail REIT, Dexus Property Group, Gowings Bros. Ltd, GPT Group, Haben Property, ISPT, Jen Retail Properties, JLL, Lancini Group, Lendlease, MA Financial Group, McConaghy Group, McConaghy Properties, Mirvac, Perron Group, Precision Group, QIC, SCA Property Group, Scentre Group, Stockland, Vicinity Centres and Yu Feng Group.
