The Shopping Centre industry is driven by people. It’s the skills and expertise of the people that manage, develop and evolve shopping centres for their communities that creates this great industry. Shopping Centre News profiles a range of interesting people from the industry each week. This week we speak to Amy Wotton, Head of Marketing for Chadstone – The Fashion Capital, who arguably has one of the most prestigious marketing roles in the industry – leading the marketing strategy for Australia’s largest centre with a turnover of more than $2 billion annually as reported in SCN’s latest Big Guns report. 

What is your current role and main responsibilities?
Head of Marketing – Chadstone. Our team leads the strategic marketing function for Chadstone – The Fashion Capital, including all festivals, major events and daily life marketing initiatives. We’re also responsible for brand communications and tactical trade initiatives at Chadstone.

Tell us a little bit about your career
I’ve been embedded in marketing roles for about 20 years, in most cases, with a focus on retail and brand management. I’ve worked in media strategy and planning in Australia and overseas with key clients including Daimler Chrysler, Nike, Cadbury, Schweppes and Nintendo. Then into national brand and marketing positions with SABA, Hugo Boss (Oceania) and the Bardot group, before I founded a marketing consultancy to continue my retail focus, providing speciality retailers with strategy and brand advice.

Lunar New Year Union Pay partnership at Chadstone – The Fashion Capital

What do you love most about your job?
I enjoy being part of the team that’s shaping Australia’s leading entertainment, lifestyle destination in a meaningful way for our customers, visitors and the broader community. It is an incredible place to work, and it’s evolved into so much more than a place for people to come and shop.

What makes your role great?
You have to be able to think outside the box, and think big. In addition to that, I think, we need to be able to shift and/or pivot what we’re doing to elevate results or success. And you have to be a good communicator to be able to engage a breadth of stakeholders, both in our business and throughout our centre and community.

What is your most memorable moment of your career?
Watching Chadstone’s entertainment series come to life, and grow. We’ve hosted Festival de Luxe, Magic at Twilight, World on a String to name a few and they have become awe-inspiring events that our customers have thoroughly enjoyed. I also look forward to the opening of Hotel Chadstone in November – another milestone for The Fashion Capital, creating a truly integrated mixed-use precinct.

The Link between Chadstone Hotel Melbourne and Chadstone –The Fashion Capital

What do you think makes a successful shopping centre?
The offer has to be compelling to the audience or, in shopping centre terms, the trade area. We have to provide something that is meaningful, compelling and convenient that our customers can develop an emotional connection to.

Which in your opinion is the best example of a good shopping centre, retail precinct or place?
In Australia, Chadstone – obviously. Elsewhere, Westfield Century City. The team there has developed a vibrant event space and a schedule of programs and activations which has genuinely changed the profile of the precinct and engaged a new customer. Dubai Mall has to be acknowledged for the customer centricity and guest services. Palisades Village, California.

What are some of the trends you are seeing in the industry?
In retail? The growth of luxury shopping. Chadstone has the most concentrated luxury shopping precinct in Australia, and it continues to grow with new additions and/or expansions of Alexander McQueen, Tiffany, Bulgari, Tod’s, Bottega Veneta.

More broadly, when it come to marketing, the trends is to give people a reason to visit, then given them a reason to stay longer that doesn’t involve shopping. Entertainment and dining will continue to be major drawcards for Chadstone’s customers and we’re responding accordingly we’ll have more to share on that later in the year.

What do you do in your leisure time to de-stress?
Come to Chadstone to shop – no joke… It’s not uncommon for me to be at Chadstone on a Saturday or Sunday.

What’s your favourite retailer and why?
As a customer I appreciate the history, quality and timelessness of Cartier. When it comes to good branding and appeal Kmart is a fascinating story, and if I’m buying gifts I can’t go past Baby Bunting.

Do you like shopping?
Absolutely.

What is the single most important quality you need to possess to be in this industry?
Flexibility and agility.

Interested in being profiled, contact Belinda at belinda@shoppingcentrenews.com.au