Shelly Norgard, Retail Manager at Mirvac, has been named the 2025 recipient of the Frank Lowy Fellowship. This prestigious industry initiative of the Shopping Centre Council of Australia, proudly supported by Scentre Group, recognises emerging leaders for their innovation and significant contributions. SCN speaks with Shelly about the award and what this recognition means.
Congratulations on being named the 2025 Frank Lowy Fellow. What does receiving this award mean to you personally and professionally?
Receiving the Frank Lowy Fellowship is incredibly meaningful to me, both personally and professionally. It’s a recognition of a career built through practical experience, strong relationships and a belief that shopping centres can play a much deeper role in supporting their communities.
Personally, it’s validating. I didn’t follow a traditional pathway into leadership or higher education – my career has been shaped by responsibility, hands-on learning and a strong sense of accountability from a young age. To have that recognised at this level is something I’m extremely proud of.
Professionally, the Fellowship reinforces the importance of innovation that delivers real outcomes – for retailers, teams and the communities we serve. It’s an opportunity to continue challenging the status quo and contributing meaningfully to the future of our industry.
What inspired you to pioneer this idea?
It was sparked by a straightforward gap: Retailers urgently needed staff, and local people were actively seeking employment, yet the two groups weren’t connecting as effectively as they could.
Through insightful conversations with Liz Conroy from the Springfield Regional Jobs Committee, a shared passion emerged for ensuring that Greater Springfield’s ongoing growth could be supported and sustained by its own community. At the same time, retail partners were consistently highlighting staffing shortages as a critical and persistent issue.
By leveraging existing employment initiatives such as Link n Launch, and working collaboratively with retailers, we were able to bridge that gap in a meaningful way. The speed interview format helped remove many of the traditional barriers – lengthy recruitment processes, time constraints, and limited access – and replaced them with direct, purposeful engagement between employers and jobseekers.
Ultimately, it was a practical solution, underpinned by trust, genuine collaboration, and a shared commitment to delivering positive local outcomes for both retailers and the wider community.
Can you share a bit about your journey into retail management and how it led you to develop the speed interview recruitment program the SCCA now recognises?
My journey into retail management has always been grounded in people and place. Working closely with retailers over many years, I’ve seen firsthand how staffing challenges directly impact store performance, customer experience and team wellbeing.
As Greater Springfield continued to experience rapid population and employment growth, these challenges became more pronounced. Retailers were telling us they wanted to grow, but lack of access to reliable local talent was holding them back.
Rather than treating this as an external issue, I felt shopping centres were uniquely positioned to help. That mindset – combined with strong local partnerships – ultimately led to the development of the speed interview recruitment program, designed to connect retailers directly with local jobseekers in a practical, time-efficient way.
How has the Mirvac team responded to rolling out the speed interview model across the wider portfolio?
The response from the Mirvac team has been overwhelmingly positive. There is a clear recognition that this model delivers tangible value, both socially and commercially, aligning with Mirvac’s broader vision for retail as a catalyst for thriving communities. Team members have noted that the speed interview approach not only streamlines recruitment but also fosters meaningful connections between retailers and local talent, reinforcing Mirvac’s commitment to supporting its retail partners.
What has resonated most is the scalability and adaptability of the program. It can be tailored to suit the unique profiles of different centres, ensuring relevance and impact while maintaining its core purpose: supporting retailers, strengthening workforce pipelines, and reinforcing each centre’s role as a vibrant community hub. This flexibility is particularly important in a diverse portfolio, where the needs of retailers and communities can vary significantly.
Witnessing the model being embraced across the wider portfolio has been a genuine highlight and stands as a testament to Mirvac’s dedication to innovation with impact. By championing initiatives that empower retailers and connect people, Mirvac continues to set the standard for retail environments that are not only commercially successful but also socially enriching and future-focused.
What feedback have retailers given you about the program?
Retailer feedback has been overwhelmingly positive. Many have shared that the program has saved them considerable time and resources, all while delivering quality candidates they might not have otherwise reached through traditional recruitment channels.
Retailers have told us they feel genuinely supported – that their challenges were not only heard, but addressed in a practical and responsive manner. Several retailers were able to fill vacancies on the day itself, while others established valuable talent pipelines that they continue to draw upon for future staffing needs.
That validation – knowing their investment of time and effort has truly paid off – has been absolutely critical in building long-term engagement, trust, and a sense of partnership across our retail community.
The Frank Lowy Fellowship includes a grant for professional development. What plans do you have for your Fellowship grant?
I plan to invest the Fellowship grant across two key areas.
Firstly, I intend to allocate funding toward formal study, such as an MBA or equivalent postgraduate qualification. Having built my career through practical experience, I see great value in strengthening my strategic and commercial foundations to complement that experience and support future leadership roles.
Secondly, I plan to attend an international retail industry event in Paris. Exposure to global thinking, innovation and placemaking trends will provide valuable insights that can be applied locally, particularly as Australian shopping centres continue to evolve beyond traditional retail.
Together, these experiences will help ensure I continue to contribute meaningfully to the industry – combining practical outcomes with strategic perspective.
- This interview with Shelly Norgard, Retail Manager at Mirvac was first published in SCN magazine – Big Guns 2026 edition
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