AUSTRALIA. Airport Retail Enterprises Assistant Site Manager – Gold Coast Airport Verity Eddy, Lagardère AWPL Area Manager Maiko Sheppeard, Sydney Airport General Manager – Commercial Leasing Mark Zaouk and Airport Retail Enterprises Chairman and Owner Peter Butts were all recognised last night at the inaugural Retail & Commercial Awards hosted by the Australian Airports Association.
The awards were made during the Gala Dinner at the AAA Retail & Commercial Forum, a partnership between AAA, The Mercurius Group and The Moodie Davitt Report.
The awards, made by nomination and selected by the organising committee, paid tribute to career achievement and industry contribution as well as the key role of customer-facing and back-of-house team members.
They were presented by Kym Meys, National Chair of the Australian Airports Association, and Executive General Manager Planning & Infrastructure at Adelaide Airport.
Eddy was recognised as Team Member Recognition in Food & Beverage for helping to carry the business through the pandemic and out the other side, while still ensuring her team offered superb customer service.
Sheppeard won the Team Member Recognition Award for Retail, having risen through the ranks of the company, starting in the store, becoming a location manager and now an area multi-location manager.
Zaouk, who won Career Achievement Award Airports, has overseen the retail transformation of three terminals and been a key influence on the delivery of strong revenue growth at Sydney Airport, as well as helping introduce a range of first to market concepts to the location.
Butts is among the pioneers of the industry in Australia, with a career of over 50 years, and ARE the biggest F&B operation in Australia by number of outlets.
During COVID, he decided to show his support to his airport partners by keeping at least one outlet open at each airport, even if it was losing money, to support and provide a service to passengers as well as airport staff.
He won the Career Achievement Award Concessionaire at the awards evening.
PICTURE GALLERY: THE AAA RETAIL & COMMERCIAL FORUM GALA DINNER
