The shopping centre industry is driven by people. It’s their vision, expertise, and commitment that shape and evolve our retail environments to meet the needs of vibrant communities. In this special feature from SCN magazine, we speak with seven leading executives working in CBD retail to explore their career paths, insights, and perspectives on the key trends shaping the future of the sector.
In this exclusive Q&A, we spotlight Andrew White, Executive Manager of Rundle Mall at the Adelaide Economic Development Agency, as he shares his journey and outlook on the evolution of CBD retail.
Tell us about your current role and main responsibilities?
I’m the Executive Manager, Rundle Mall, at the Adelaide Economic Development Agency (AEDA), which is a subsidiary of the City of Adelaide. AEDA doesn’t own the buildings or centres within the Mall, rather it’s the Mall’s custodian. My team works with property owners to optimise the tenancy mix and promote the Mall locally and nationally through marketing initiatives and activations that drive visitation and deliver economic outcomes for traders and property owners. It’s a unique operating model in the Australian retail sector.
Can you tell us more about Rundle Mall and what you love most about it?
Rundle Mall is the best mall in Australia, and I’ve got no hesitation telling people that! It is the country’s oldest outdoor pedestrian mall, celebrating its 50th birthday next year, and is the longest in the southern hemisphere, at 520-metres long and home to 700 retailers and 300 services. Adelaide is a single CBD model, with all economic and cultural life focused around the city, and Rundle Mall’s at the geographic centre and the epicentre of city retailing. It’s literally on the doorstep of three universities, our arts and cultural institutions, entertainment and sporting venues and public transport. It’s the busiest mall in Australia, with more than 54 million visitors each year spending $1.4 billion, which is 85% of all retail spend in the city and North Adelaide. Rundle Mall is unlike anything else, and that’s what I love most about it.
Can you provide an overview of your career path – how you got started in retail property?
Before joining AEDA, my most recent roles included Chief Executive Officer of Renew Adelaide and Leasing Executive with Maras Group. Renew Adelaide works with property owners to activate vacant commercial spaces with unique and emerging business ventures testing their concepts in rent-free locations. Maras Group is a private commercial and retail property investment and development business. These roles, and my earlier career, have honed my skills across stakeholder engagement, precinct curation and activation, property leasing, management and retail.
Do you have any career highlights or proudest moments?
Delivering a new strategic vision and place-making strategy for Rundle Mall has been an incredibly fulfilling project at AEDA. Previously, the Mall was positioned mostly as a shopping precinct, and our offering was very transactional. Rundle Mall has since evolved with a more holistic offering, to become an arts, culture, entertainment, food and shopping destination. Private and public investment in capital works have supported that evolution, including transforming the Charles Street laneway into a pedestrian-friendly zone that now connects Rundle Mall to the SA Museum and Art Gallery of South Australia. We remain commercial and committed to delivering economic outcomes for our retailers, but we do it by making Rundle Mall a place where visitors can spend the day and enjoy a range of experiences, including shopping – it’s a shift from transaction to interaction. Campaigns like our Black Friday Concierge, which won a national award, and Christmas, bring that vision to life and really shift the dial.
In today’s environment, experience is key to success in bricks-and-mortar retail. You can’t compete with the convenience of online shopping, so you have to offer something that makes shoppers want to get off the couch and come into the city. Creating unexpected, memorable experiences is at the core of Rundle Mall’s strategy.
We focus on leveraging what’s unique to us. You could be in Times Square in New York or Rodeo Drive in Los Angeles, and you couldn’t do what we do, because what’s on in Rundle Mall is an extension of what’s happening elsewhere in the city or state.
MallFest, for example, leverages Adelaide Fringe and brings the fun and frivolity of the world’s second biggest arts festival into the Mall with street performers, live music and pop-up bars for five weeks every February through March. When Adelaide hosts AFL Gather Round, Rundle Mall hits fever pitch and we put on four days of jam-packed footy fun for local and interstate visitors, including interactive experiences and immersive brand zones.
The success of these experiences is shown in our visitation. In late March, Rundle Mall hosted its first-ever Colours of Asia street food festival. Held across a Friday through Sunday, it helped to attract more than 680,000 people to the Mall – 47% more than the 12-month average for weekends and a new record for the most visitors to the Mall in a weekend.
What are some of the trends you are seeing in the industry?
Digital and AI are becoming part of the everyday for retailers but, much like what we’re doing on the Mall, it’s the ability to create engaging, in-store experiences that sets retailers apart. Rebel Sport do it brilliantly. Rundle Mall was the retailer’s first CBD flagship site for its new Customer Experience (rCX) concept store. You can shoot hoops in a mini basketball court, battle your mates over a game of FIFA on the PlayStation, or test out new boots by taking shots at an interactive, projected soccer goal. Dymocks’ new flagship book store is in Rundle Mall’s old Regent Theatre and another great example. It’s a grand, old space and they’ve recently added a full service cafe so you can soak up that space’s incredible atmosphere over a coffee while turning pages of what you’ve just bought.
What are some of the tools that influence your decision-making?
Data-based decision-making is key. We’re fortunate to have our own team of economic researchers and data analysts at AEDA. From foot traffic and spend, to hotel bed nights and public transport movements – they help us identify trends and foresee potential challenges, as well as evaluate our campaigns. This data’s not just for our benefit though. In line with AEDA’s broader remit to attract investment into the city, we regularly share these insights with brands looking to expand into Rundle Mall and support their strategic business objectives.
What’s your favourite retailer and why?
As a proud South Australian, my favourite Rundle Mall retailer is the quintessentially South Australian bootmaker R.M. Williams. Their flagship store opened to much fanfare in a prominent location in the heart of Rundle Mall 18 months ago with a sophisticated design that embodies their quality craftsmanship. From the bespoke furniture and joinery to the textured brick wall that houses an 8-metre digital screen featuring video content of the Australian outback and the curved wall boot display inspired by the heel of the boot, they’ve really brought their brand to life to showcase their footwear, apparel and accessories, much of which is produced right here in South Australia.
This exclusive Q&A forms part of SCN’s Movers & Shakers feature, published in CBD Guns 2025. Subscribe here to access the full digital magazine.
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