Shaping the future of physical retail in Australia

The Malls & Stores of the Future Summit is Australia’s most important national conference, exhibition and networking event focused on physical retail growth and innovation.

The 4th annual event will bring together shopping centre landlords, retail brands, developers, investors, designers, urban planners, construction & fit out specialists and technology enablers to learn, network and source solutions that enhance the shopper experience and profitability of physical retail.

The 2026 Focus

Shopping centres have long been central to our social and retail experiences. However, the rise of digital transformation has significantly impacted traditional retail, challenging shopping centres to evolve. Today, the future of shopping centres lies in becoming vibrant community hubs that offer more than just shopping – they must create spaces for experiences, transformation and community engagement as consumer behaviours evolve.

Recognising this shift, shopping centre landlords and retailers are increasingly collaborating through partnerships to foster innovation and enhance the customer experience. They are achieving this through better space design and the adoption of technologies that personalise customer experiences, optimise operations, and improve marketing strategies.

100+
Leading international and
local Speakers

600+
Attendees from across the
retail spectrum

50+
Exhibitors showcasing
their expertise and solutions

3
Focused break-out tracks

Our Advisory Board

Reid Nakou

Chief Experience Officer, The General Store

Leigh Dunn

National Head of Retail Leasing, ISPT

Stephen Dewaele

General Manager – Shopping Centres, QIC

Denis Ryan

Portfolio General Manager, The GPT Group

Daniel Boyle

General Manager Chadstone, Vicinity Centres

Maz Violi

National Leasing Manager, Australia & New Zealand, Nando’s

David-James Nguyen

Director, DJN Consulting

Sam Curry

General Manager - Retail Services, ISPT

Mardi Ashkine

Head of Centre Marketing, Vicinity Centres

Scott Crelin

Head of Retail, The GPT Group

FOCUSED BREAK-OUT TRACKS

Choose 1 of 3 tracks to design your Summit experience: “Tech & Data”, “Retailer Experience” or "Revenue Ops”

BATTLE OF THE CENTRES

Live debate with interactive polling: City Centre, Regional, Sub-Regional or Neighbourhood - Who’ll win the audience over?

INVESTOR PANELS

Hear from local and international investors that have committed capital to Australia’s Retail Sector

LIGHTNING JAMS

Participate in peer led focus group sessions aimed at solving wicked problems

SITE VISITS

Participate in one of three hosted tours to high performing shopping centres or cutting edge retail stores in Melbourne

CONNECTIONS

Build, renew and maintain important relationships with with 600+ attendees expected from across the retail spectrum

MARKETPLACE

Meet with over 50 leading solution providers and view their newest innovations in the Exhibition Area

NETWORKING FUNCTIONS

Attend high profile networking functions where you can win friends and influence people – and have a great time

Summit will start in...

2025 Speakers

Peter Huddle

Chief Executive Officer, Vicinity Centres

Amanda Steele

Group Executive - Head of Property, ISPT

Matt Elliott

CEO, Queen Victoria Markets

Kieron Ritchard

CEO, Fantastic Furniture

Reid Nakou

Chief Experience Officer, The General Store

Kirrily Lord

Executive General Manager, Retail, Dexus

Alison Flemming

General Manager, Portfolio Management, Mirvac

Michelle Higgins

Group General Manager – Property, Region Group

Michele Levine

Chief Executive Officer, Roy Morgan

Anna Strzelcykowski

Head of Property, Lorna Jane

Agenda at a Glance

Day 1, Tuesday 24 March 2026

09:00

Opening Presentation (Future of Malls) | From Physical to Phygital: The Mall as a Media Channel

09:30

PANEL | Landlords as Experience Curators

09:30

Market Outlook: Consumer spending & sentiment/how are shopping centres performing?

10:40

Morning Tea & Exhibition Viewing

11:10

Strategic partnerships and activations with brands/entertainment/experiential retail

11:30

From functional to experiential: Redefining your brand in a transforming retail landscape

12:05

Tech Showcase (Live Demos): 5-minute pitches from PropTech, LoyaltyTech, AI Retail, and AR/VR

12:45

Lunch and Exhibition Viewing

Retail analytics, footfall AI, smart leasing

Retail analytics, footfall AI, smart leasing

Tenant fit-outs, new retail formats, pop-ups

Tenant fit-outs, new retail formats, pop-ups

Monetising food courts, programmatic ads in centres

Monetising food courts, programmatic ads in centres

15:45

Afternoon Tea & Exhibition Viewing

16:15

PRESENTATION | “The $100M Food Court – How to Turn Tenants into Teammates”

16:50

PANEL | What’s the Future of Malls & Stores in the Customer Journey?

17:35

Networking Drinks

17:35

Retail Leaders Dinner

Day 2, Wednesday 25 March 2026

09:00

KEYNOTE | Reinventing the Brick & Mortar Experience through Innovative Store Design & Technology

09:30

Retail in Focus – How has the sector performed over the last 12 months/Comparing online to physical

10:00

FIRESIDE CHAT | Store Development Strategy for Better Market Penetration - Identifying locations that introduce the brand to new markets

10:50

Morning Tea & Exhibition Viewing

11:25

VOICE OF THE SHOPPER PANEL: What Is Each Generation Looking for from Their Shopping Experience?

12:00

Revitalising Heritage: Modern Store Concepts and Brand Elevation

12:40

PANEL | Mall & Store Design in the Current Retail Environment – How landlords and retailers can innovate and adapt their physical spaces

13:00

Lunch and Exhibition Viewing

14:10

BREAKOUT ROUNDTABLES

  • Reinventing the Brick & Mortar Experience through Innovative Store Technology
  • Retail Meets Hospitality: Why Loyalty, Perks & Digital Ordering Are Non-Negotiable
  • Unlocking the Value of Retail Space: Turning Mall & Store Data into Sales Intelligence
  • How better parking leads to better business
  • Elevating the Checkout Experience
  • Starting Your Sustainability Journey
  • Beyond Conversion: KPIs to Optimise the Customer Path to Purchase
  • Revitalising Stores at Scale: Determining Pace and Process
15:20

Afternoon Tea & Exhibition Viewing

15:50

CLOSING PANEL | “Next Gen Mall Revenue Models”

17:00

After Party

VIP rooftop event with signature cocktails named after famous malls, live DJ, and mini activations

Who Attends

The Summit brings together senior leaders representing:

  • Landlords
  • Retail brands (across all categories)
  • Developers
  • Centre Managers
  • Advisory, sales, valuation and leasing
  • Investors (Institutional and Private Equity)
  • Engineering firms
  • Architects & Designers
  • Construction & Fit-Out
  • Urban Planners
  • Placemaking experts
  • Technology Providers
  • Legal Firms

"An excellent summit that covered a diverse range of interesting speakers who shared insights and trends highly relevant to both landlords and tenants. A worthy investment of time with the additional benefit of networking with a talented group of industry professionals."

Daniel Boyle

Centre Manager – Chadstone The Fashion Capital, Vicinity Centres

“I would like to extend my heartfelt thanks to FuturePlace for inviting me as a keynote speaker and panellist at this year’s Malls of the Future Summit 2024 in Sydney. It was a pleasure to meet and exchange notes with the community of landlords and retailers from the ANZ region, and I look forward to having more meaningful engagements."

Chris Chong

CEO, Retail and Workspace (Singapore and Malaysia), CapitaLand Investment

"Stepping into the Malls of the Future Summit was like entering a dynamic realm where tenants and landlords converged, sparking synergies and outcomes that danced beyond the norm. With its stellar content and vibrant networking, it became a refreshing oasis for property professionals to collaborate and glean fascinating insights into the future of retail. Huge shoutout to FuturePlace for curating such an invigorating and thought-provoking experience!"

Anna Strzelczykowski

Head of Property & Retail Development, Lorna Jane

"Another great edition of MOTF, excellent to see an even bigger turnout. Thought provoking discussion from many leading professionals in our sector provide some valuable insights. Well organised, thanks."

Leif Olson

Director - Head of Retail Leasing Australia, CBRE

"Malls of the Future Summit was a terrific platform for property professionals to network, collaborate & hear interesting insights into what will shape the future of retail.  Thanks to Future Place for putting on a great event & for providing a very thought-provoking day of quality information."

Simon Dyer

Retail Asset Manager, Centuria

"I want to extend my heartfelt gratitude to the organisers of the Malls Of The Future summit for allowing me to share my insights. The audience's enthusiastic response to our panel presentation was truly inspiring. It was a pleasure to connect with like-minded professionals and exchange valuable ideas. I look forward to continuing the conversation and collaborating with others in the industry. Thank you for this wonderful opportunity."

Ramsey Fodda

General Manager, Leasing Retail, One Five One Property

"The Malls of the Future Summit is a unique event and one that is very much needed for the Shopping Centre industry. The platform provided by FuturePlace enabled idea exchange, networking and industry suppliers the ability to showcase their products and speak to decision makers which is invaluable."

Tim Clarkson

CEO, Chas Clarkson

CBRE had the pleasure of being Diamond Partners at this year’s Malls of the Future summit 2024 which brought together industry experts, thought leaders, and innovators. The discussions were informative and engaging and allowed us to strengthen valuable relationships with like-minded professionals. I recommend this event to anyone looking to stay ahead of the curve in the ever-changing world of retail.

Sheree Griff

National Head of Retail Property Management, CBRE

Partnership Opportunities

Organisations that provide investment, design, construction, technology and marketing solutions, along with the services ecosystem that sells, manages and maintains physical retail assets (centres and stores) will experience significant new demand. What better reason to consider becoming a partner at Australia’s most important physical retail event.

 

 

 

 

 

 

If you are involved in the following areas, we’d like to hear from you:

  • Financiers
  • Advisory, Valuations & Leasing
  • Urban Planning & Design
  • Architectural Firms
  • Construction Firms/Contractors
  • Furniture Providers
  • Flooring
  • Whitegoods
  • Building Fixtures
  • Wi-Fi & Communications Infrastructure
  • Access Control/Security
  • Parking & Mobility
  • Fitness & Wellness
  • Energy Management
  • Community Management
  • Sustainability Technologies
  • Modular Construction
FINAL SEATS

Secure Your Seat

*If you are not a retailer or retail landlord and book online at the discounted rate, a member of our team will be in contact to amend your registration to the standard ticket price

$1795 + GST

Retailer and Retail Landlord Ticket Price*
  • Session recordings and presentation slides

  • Access to all conference sessions and networking opportunities

  • $495 Add-On: Post-Event Masterclass

Buy Ticket

$2245 + GST

Standard Ticket Price
  • Session recordings and presentation slides

  • Access to all conference sessions and networking opportunities

  • $495 Add-On: Post-Event Masterclass

Buy Ticket
Super Early Bird Book and pay by 24 June 2022
Early Bird Book and pay by 29 July 2022

Standard Price

In-Person Ticket Prices

2 Day Summit $1695+GST

1 Day Summit $995+GST

2 Day Summit $1895+GST

1 Day Summit $1195+GST

2 Day Summit $2095+GST

1 Day Summit $1395+GST

Virtual Ticket Prices

2 Day Summit $995+GST

2 Day Summit $1195+GST

2 Day Summit $1395+GST

2025 Partners

Headline Partner
Diamond Partner
Platinum Partner
Platinum Partner
Platinum Partner
Gold Partner
Gold Partner
Gold Partner
Tech Partner
Networking Lunch Partner
Networking Drinks Partner
Innovation & Coffee Cart Partner
Innovation Partner
Innovation Partner
Innovation Partner
Innovation Partner
Innovation Partner
Exhibitor
Exhibitor
Exhibitor
Exhibitor
Exhibitor
Exhibitor
Supporting Partner
Exhibitor
Exhibitor
Exhibitor
Media Partner
Exhibitor
Exhibitor
Exhibitor

Why Become A Partner?

FuturePlace sponsorship plans provide you with a unique opportunity to build your brand and influence key power players.

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Thought Leadership Presentations

Establish pre-eminence amongst your peers

Branding And Signage

Multiple opportunities exist before, during and after the event

Roundtable Hosting

Lead a roundtable of industry professionals in this powerful, interactive format

Networking

Impress the world with your team and hospitality

Lead Generation

New business opportunities from a highly targeted audience

Showcase

The exhibition is the place to showcase and build new business connections

Directions to the Event

  • Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre (MCEC)

    1 Convention Centre Pl, South Wharf VIC 3006

  • Get Directions
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