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 Sandy Bains, Experience Manager at Westfield Chatswood who’s role includes putting on a great show for customers every day. Sandy openly shares with us her experience of finding out she was pregnant only weeks before commencing with Scentre Group and how she manages being a working mum.
What is your current role and main responsibilities?
My role is the Centre Experience Manager at Westfield Chatswood. I look after the millions of customers that come through our doors every year. Along with my phenomenal team, I am responsible for putting on a great show every day for our customers, building on the strength of our retail partners and ensuring that we are a central to the communities in which we operate.
Westfield Chatswood
How did you get in to this industry?
Having grown up in the South Australian countryside where my parents owned and managed a large vineyard, I have always had a keen interest in the dynamic nature of managing large operations. Even from a very young age I knew I wanted to manage something of a significant size and scale – I just didn’t know what that was yet, but I knew I was curious. I certainly haven’t taken a traditional path into retail. Not many people know this, but I have a Masters in IT and started out as a consultant at EY. Over the course of eight years, I advised clients on a range of areas, but predominantly found myself specialising in strategic risk management for property clients. Any consultant will tell you that there comes a time where you think about less “consulting” and more “doing” and so I left consulting to work for Serco, a large global infrastructure and facilities management company, to create and implement their anti-bribery and corruption framework for Australia, Middle East, Asia and Africa. Sometime later, I saw an opportunity to work for Scentre Group looking after their Risk Management and Business Continuity Function and I knew this would be a great opportunity to blend my technical expertise with a brand that is synonymous with retail and leaders in creating destinations that are rich in experience and creativity.
Tell us a little bit about your career
My career has been varied and I haven’t necessarily climbed up a corporate ladder, rather I’ve taken the attitude of being a lifelong learner and have been open to exploring opportunities as they arise. Since joining Scentre Group five years ago, I’ve managed our Risk function, worked on strategic initiatives in our PMO, joined our Strategy and Business Development team to help shape our longer-term strategy and now I’m managing one of the most exciting living centres in our portfolio – and in that time I’ve had two amazing baby girls! In fact, I had found out I was pregnant with my first daughter, Avani, about two weeks before I was due to start at Scentre Group. Whilst I was overjoyed with this unexpected news, I was terrified to tell my soon to be boss for fear of it limiting my career and it having a negative impact on my reputation. The thoughts going through my head were endless; I was even advised by close friends to “not say anything just yet” as I was only a few weeks into my pregnancy but not being transparent and open about it just didn’t sit well with me. That same week, I organised lunch with my boss Talbot, to let him know the situation; I remember feeling sick – part nausea, part anxiety! When I told him my news, I immediately put my head in my hands. He reached down and said, can I just say one thing? “Congratulations!” He continued to tell me that he had hired me for the value I would bring over the long term and that the business would be there to provide whatever support I needed, whenever I need it. The support I have received during both pregnancies and now as a working mum has been nothing short of phenomenal and it’s certainly never held me back from taking on new, exciting (and sometimes terrifying!) opportunities at work.
I feel very lucky to work for an organisation and leadership team that is supportive of such diverse career moves because they see beyond the traditional measures of progression. To truly embrace diversity of thought, companies have to back their talent and challenge the status quo; that’s when real change happens. I am a huge advocate of flexibility and this will have a different meaning for everyone. For me, flexibility is an enabler of productivity and allows me to show up 100% of the time both at work and home.
What do you love most about your job?
This is by far the most dynamic job I’ve ever held and I love the variety and challenge it gives me every day. Managing an asset the size and scale of Westfield Chatswood, is no small feat and there is a great amount of trust and responsibility that comes with doing this job well. Having said that, you absolutely can’t do this alone. What I love most about this job is how my asset team can rally together to solve just about any problem with innovation, hard work and determination. Some of the most extraordinary customer experiences I have witnessed or been a part of didn’t necessarily cost a lot of money or require investment; they were created through small moments and actions where at the heart of it was understanding the needs of the customer.
What motivates you?
I am definitely a big fan of outcomes – working smarter, not harder is often a motto I apply. Growing up on a farm in tough economic conditions, by necessity I developed a very strong work ethic at an early age and this has held me in good stead as I headed into my corporate career. My two young girls are also a big motivator for me to be the best version of myself every day. I have a responsibility and a desire to create a world of equality, break down barriers and pave the way for the next generation and I strive to show them that they can do and be anything they choose to be.
What is the most memorable moment of your career?
One of the benefits of working in this industry and this business is that it is an amazing platform to be a part of many memorable moments. I think what I am most proud of is that we are an essential part of the Chatswood community’s economic and social fabric. We recently sponsored and supported “Chatswood Sleeps Rough”, an extraordinary initiative to raise much needed funds for the homeless in the North Shore. We had over forty people willing to sleep rough for one night in our car park and raise much needed awareness for those that sleep rough every night. I feel blessed to be able to make a difference to the communities in which we operate.
What are some of the trends you are seeing in the industry?
We know that our customers are dwelling in our centres longer than ever before and are seeking meaningful experiences that can be had within our living centres – increasingly, they want to be a part of something; a trend, a purpose or the next best instagramable moment. Most recently, we’ve seen an increase in retailers who offer experiences as their core offering but we are also seeing traditional retailers rising to this challenge by creating opportunities for customers to be create memorable moments and allowing them to experience old products in new ways.
Westfield Chatswood
Did you think you would end up in the role you are in now?
Not at all, but I am glad I am here! I love how compelling our destinations are for our customers to gather, connect, share experiences and shop and it is so rewarding to be a part of that legacy. I feel very fortunate to have worked in our support office, looking at our business from the various lenses of risk and strategy before taking on such a huge operational role. Its enabled me to think differently and more thoughtfully on how we execute and refine our vision for the asset.
What do you do to keep learning and growing in your career?
It’s incredibly important to continually learn in any industry or job you are in and to constantly evolve as the world around you changes. Let’s face it, my IT degree is probably irrelevant today given how quickly we have embraced new technologies and in some instances completely replaced functions and industries with robotics and AI. I am an avid reader, so I love keeping abreast of new trends across retail, customer experience and the property market. I’ve also surrounded myself with a great set of mentors and experts both inside and outside of the business that have helped guide, challenge and shape my career. I’ve also never said no to a great opportunity – even if I wasn’t quite sure how to do it, I backed myself that I could be resourceful and learn.
What advice would you give to someone starting in the industry?
It’s a very fast-paced and dynamic industry and it’s also very broad – that’s what I love about it. There are so many businesses within our business – management, leasing, developments, design, construction, media and so too are the opportunities to master any number of those skills. My advice would be to open to as many opportunities as possible but also be laser focused on honing your chosen craft and mastering your skill set. Ask lots of questions and ensure you surround yourself with people that will support your vision of who you want to be and the legacy you want to create.
What do you do in your leisure time to de-stress?
My two little humans keep me young and are a great reminder to constantly be present and live in the moment. I don’t think I’ve ever seen them stress out about the past or the future, they live in the here and now and that is a wonderful way to live. I’m also part of a huge Indian family where our collective common goal is to cook and eat the most scrumptious food so I spend a lot of my down time in a permanent food coma!
What is the single most important quality you need to possess to be in this industry?
Integrity. Its ok to not know it all and being brave enough to show your authentic self is a sign of great leadership.
