The Large Format Retail Association (LFRA) recently celebrated its third annual Gala Awards Dinner at the Star Sydney with more than 350 attendees. Among those recognised were JB Hi-Fi, being awarded Large Format Retailer of the Year and Harvey Norman, with head of development and leasing, Alex Capra named Emerging Leader of the Year.
“After the lingering challenges from the pandemic, onto a world of inflationary pressures and geopolitical difficulties, the Large Format Retail sector has demonstrated resilience, adaptability and unity through these difficult times” LFRA CEO, Philippa Kelly said.
“With the retail landscape constantly evolving from post-pandemic times to fronting the economic global challenges, Large Format Retail has still seen vacancy rates drop to a record low of 3.5% with new projects in the pipeline that will contribute a further 375,000 square metres of Large Format floorspace in the coming years.
“Further to this, Large Format Retail continues to support more than 460,000 jobs directly and indirectly by the sale of goods in a wide range of categories including furniture, electrical, hardware and homewares and representing one third of all retail floorspace in Australia.”
Zac Fried, LFRA president & Spotlight Group executive deputy chairman, Anita Broers, CBRE senior centre manager for Harvey Norman Springvale Homemaker & Ian Robinson, Beacon Lighting executive chairman & LFRA former president.
In addition to the awards and special entertainment, a live auction was held to help raise proceeds for Lifeline, Vinnies, and the GoFundMe page for Cameron Wales. The auction raised $40,000 for the specified charities.
Supporting the evening awards were LFRA Diamond Sponsors: HomeCo, ADCO Constructions and Major Media, Sapphire Sponsors: Spotlight Retail Group and Revo Fitness, and Emerald Sponsors: CBRE, Centuria Capital Group, Beacon Lighting Group, Mainbrace Constructions, Bunnings Group, Harvey Norman, Bentleigh Group, Buchan and Titanium Property Investment.
Full list of Award recipients:
- Agent of the Year – David Mark, Marked Property managing director.
- Emerging Leader of the Year – Alex Capra, Harvey Norman head of development and leasing.
- Centre Manager of the Year – Anita Broers, CBRE centre manager, managing a portfolio of Harvey Norman Large Format Retail Centres.
- Associate Member of the Year – Buchan.
- Lifetime Achievement Award – Morry Fraid, Spotlight Group co-founder.
- Marketing Campaign of the Year (Retailer) – Beacon Lighting Group for their ‘Beacon Trade’ campaign.
- Marketing Campaign of the Year (Associate Member) – CBRE as manager of the Harvey Norman-owned Browns Plains Homemaker Centre for ‘Wildlife Encounters’ marketing campaign.
- Developer of the Year – Harvey Norman for Port Stephens Homemaker Centre.
- Sustainability Initiative of the Year – HomeCo for their ESG initiatives.
- Best Application of an Innovation – Beacon Lighting for their ‘Sanso’ invention.
- Large Format Retailer of the Year – JB Hi-Fi.
- Warwick Shedden Memorial Trophy – Bruce Sinclair, former JB Hi-Fi/The Good Guys general group manager of property & LFRA director.