EP#211 ~ The Australian Retailers Association is celebrating 120 years - what makes a successful association last? With Paul Zahra, CEO ARA

Small Biz Matters: People, Policy, Purpose ~ Episode #211

Broadcast date: 31st October 2023

Host: Alexi Boyd, Small Business Advocate & Policy Advisor

Guest: Paul Zahra, Chief Executive Officer at Australian Retailers Association

EP#211 ~ The Australian Retailers Association is celebrating 120 years - what makes a successful association last? With Paul Zahra, CEO ARA

Today we welcome Paul Zahra, the CEO of the Australian Retailers Association. It is their 120 year anniversary so we are going to talk about how they represent their 50,000 retail shopfronts throughout Australia. what makes a successful association last? As a national body, how do you balance the policy work across so many different government agencies? And importantly, what do you think will be the focus of small business policy in the next 12 months?

PEOPLE - ARA has been around for 120 years now – what makes a successful association last, through the trials and tribulations of government policy and advocacy work?  As a national body, how do you balance the policy work you do across so many different government bodies (local, state, federal)

POLICY - What are the key areas of policy that the ARA focusing on at the moment? Are there some issues that occupy much more of your time and are more complex and how do you determine as the CEO where the focus areas are at any one time? What do you think will be the focus of small business policy in the next 12 months?

PURPOSE - Tell us a little bit about how you personally moved into the world of advocacy and why you’re so passionate about looking after small business retailers?

Paul Zahra is a leading figure of Australian retail having worked in the industry for 40 years including in senior executive and non-executive roles and as a company advisor.  He has previously held senior leadership positions at Target, Officeworks and at David Jones where he was the CEO and Managing Director.

Paul leads the team at the Australian Retailers Association – Australia’s oldest, largest and most diverse retail body, representing a $400 billion sector that employs one in ten Australians.

To find out more go to: https://www.retail.org.au