AUSTRALIA. The Australian Airports Association (AAA) Retail & Commercial Forum honoured seven individuals and companies for their contribution to the industry at a glittering Gala Dinner and awards night at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on Tuesday night.
The awards are among the highlights of the annual Forum, which this year runs from 22-24 July, co-organised by the AAA, The Mercurius Group and The Moodie Davitt Report. Conference highlights and photos will follow soon.
Melbourne Airport hosted the Gala Dinner, with Chief of Ground Transport, Property & Retail Jai McDermott welcoming guests early in the evening. This year’s awards were sponsored by Red Rooster, part of the Craveable Brands group. The Moodie Davitt Report President Dermot Davitt was MC for the evening and announced the awards.
Introducing the awards, Davitt said: “We have spoken a lot in our conference about how to drive the next phase of growth or development in our sector. But that doesn’t happen without leadership from the top among our airports and concessionaires, or without the team members who go above and beyond the call of duty.
“We especially want to recognise the contribution of front-line and back of house staff who are pivotal to our sector’s continued growth and future prosperity.”
Delaware North Head Chef at Perth Airport Don Maha was named winner of the award for Team Member, Back of House, with Heinemann Oceania Logistics and Stock Control Manager Dawn Wilson short-listed.
Maha has played a key role in scaling up the Perth Airport business to become the best-performing in the concessionaire’s travel portfolio.
The Team Member – Customer Facing Award went to Emirates Leisure Retail Multi-Site Manager Simon Somo. The judges heard that Somo is “a true ambassador for the travel retail business, one who treats his team at ELR brand Hudsons Coffee like family with his support of their work inside the business and their lives beyond”. Cater Care Retail Operations Manager at Sunshine Coast Airport Kirra-Lee Lamey was short-listed.
Wolff Coffee Roasters was named Supplier of the Year. The coffee specialist “not only excels in the product it serves, but also works in harmony with its surroundings – from coffee bean to community to planet”, the entry revealed. Dreamtimez, which supports indigenous artists to enter travel retail, was short-listed.
Perth Airport was named Airport of the Year. The company’s support for its partners is exceptional, the judges heard, with its rent relief and marketing support programmes through COVID and beyond instrumental in ensuring business continuity and growth.
As one key partner noted, this airport is always open to discussing new initiatives to promote partnership, from mutually funded campaigns to estate-wide competitions that drive passenger engagement.
North Queensland Airports was short-listed for this award.
Advertising specialist Bishopp was named Concessionaire of the Year with Lagardere AWPL short-listed.
As one airport partner noted, Bishopp stood out for its exceptional service, being present in the local community and actively networking to connect with local businesses to promote them via the airport.
The company has also, said an airport partner, “invested in current and future infrastructure which will continue to improve the advertising experience on-airport and build financial growth and performance into the future”.
The Career Achievement Award for Concessionaires was won by long-time Airport Retail Enterprises CEO (now COO for SSP Australia/New Zealand) John Chapman, with Avolta Regional Managing Director, South East Asia & Oceania David Mackay short-listed.
Descriptions of Chapman in the entries ranged from “visionary” to “tireless in energy and always full of ideas”, to one who “fosters mutual respect, friendship and growth in the workplace”.
One airport partner said he has played “a pivotal role in transforming and redefining the F&B landscape at Australian airports”, pioneering strategies around chef-led partnerships and promoting local brands, and developing locations that authentically reflect their destinations and resonate with the travelling public.
As judges heard from this airport partner, “maintaining and nurturing a partnership for over 20 years is a testament to his integrity and commitment. He is true to his word, unafraid to challenge the status quo, and has built significant trust with our business.”
Auckland Airport Head of Retail Lucy Thomas won the Career Achievement – Airports Award, with Sunshine Coast Airport General Manager Aviation & Commercial Scott Norris short-listed.
Thomas has been an outstanding contributor, thoughtful leader and team player at the airport over the past 18 years. She “leads with purpose, inspiration and an unbreakable desire to curate and deliver a world-class experience” to guests.
Thomas steered the business through the airport’s largest International Terminal redevelopment pre-pandemic, and also led the airport’s retail response to COVID with a partnership approach to the business allied to a welfare-led human approach to travellers and staff.
She is currently leading another major RFP, for duty free, as well as overseeing an ambitious premium outlet shopping mall development in the airport precinct.
*More highlights of the AAA Retail & Commercial Forum will follow. ✈
