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 Arabella Richards, Centre General Manager of QV Melbourne, as she shares her journey and outlook on the evolution of CBD retail.
Tell us about your current role and main responsibilities?
As a Centre General Manager at Dexus, I lead the QV Melbourne team in the heart of the Melbourne city along with leading the retail property management teams across Victoria and Western Australia. In this role, my team and I are responsible for delivering an exceptional customer experience at our centres. We provide compelling reasons to visit, and experiences that align with our customers’ needs, while maintaining security and operations to ensure our centres run effectively and efficiently.
Can you tell us more about QV Melbourne and what you love most about the asset?
QV is an outdoor mixed-use precinct with laneways that are quintessential to the Melbourne experience. Customers can explore through the laneways of QV, and dine and shop at an eclectic range of boutiques. Being open 24 hours makes QV a vibrant destination where you can find everything you need in one location, always daring to be different. The precinct attracts a diverse range of customers, including residents, office workers, students, and tourists from Australia and around the world. With more than 40 million visitors a year it never sleeps, and the array of food delicacies on offer in the laneways and the newly renovated QV Food Hall, make it a must visit destination. With one of the only green open spaces in Melbourne city, QV is truly a destination in the heart of Melbourne that serves so many purposes for so many different types of users and is a hub of food, fashion and entertainment. It really is a special and very unique place in Melbourne.
Can you provide an overview of your career path, how you got started in retail property?
I began my career in retail, working with renowned brands such as Telstra and NAB. This experience managing retail stores and fit outs introduced me to the retail property sector, which inspired me to transition into a career in property. I joined Westfield, where I was the Centre Manager at both Westfield Plenty Valley and Westfield Burwood. I thoroughly enjoy the energetic nature of retail, and after many years in property, I returned to the retail sector, taking on the role of Regional General Manager at Westpac, followed by Head of Operations at Chatime.
When the opportunity arose to join Dexus, managing Melbourne’s city retail and the iconic QV Melbourne, I was immediately drawn to the role due to the unique city landscape. Throughout my career, moving between retail and property – along with a stint in franchising – has been incredibly valuable. It has provided me with a well-rounded perspective, enabling me to navigate multiple viewpoints and achieve the best outcomes in every situation.
Can you walk us through your experience in CBD retail property management?
City retail property management is very dynamic, especially at a precinct like QV Melbourne with its 24-hour laneways and carpark. From a safety and operational perspective, managing an environment that never closes presents a range of challenges for the security and cleaning teams. From a marketing and experience perspective, activating an outdoor square requires implementing distinctive experiences while also considering weather, wind impact and after-hours safety. In a CBD property, no two days are ever the same.
The city also offers unique opportunities for collaboration with surrounding shopping centres and the City of Melbourne team. As retail leaders from across the city, we meet regularly to discuss strategies and opportunities to grow our market share, and help shape the City of Melbourne destination plan. We are in an excellent position to work together on activations, aiming to provide people with a distinctive city experience compared to suburban shopping.
What do you think are the key ingredients for a successful CBD centre?
To be successful, a city retail precinct must embrace its diverse customer base, which includes regular visitors such as residents, local students and office workers, as well as occasional visitors who may come a few times a year or only once. Due to the large infrequent customer, it is crucial the entire team, including security and centre management, prioritise guiding and assisting customers, this is a key reason we have recently updated the wayfinding at QV to simplify the customer journey.
Collaboration with key stakeholders across the city is also essential, as viewing the city as a unified retail destination and working together to drive visitation is key to the precinct’s success. Additionally, it’s important to ensure the precinct has a unique proposition that differentiates it from surrounding centres.
What are some of the trends you are seeing in the industry?
In Melbourne CBD, we have observed a significant shift in visitor traffic patterns, with the city remaining busy much later into the evenings. This change aligns with our precinct’s strategy of engaging retailers to adapt to this new rhythm, thereby maximising sales opportunities and providing a great customer experience. The rise of Click & Collect services has also made it easier for shoppers to purchase essentials efficiently, freeing up time for leisurely browsing and experience-based activities, combined with the shift towards evening trade, which has encouraged customers to combine city shopping with dining experiences or attending shows, enhancing the overall appeal of the city’s nightlife.
This trend has also seen a shift in language, away from the notion of a CBD, recognising our cities are so much more than this. They are destinations that bring together a diverse range of people which in turn have the ability to leverage the experience economy to continue to thrive, be it the office worker connecting with a social experience after work, or the tourist that is staying, shopping, dining and taking in the vast range of entertainment opportunities.
Another trend we are seeing is online stores transitioning into physical retail spaces, appreciating the value of bricks-and-mortar stores in building their brand and presence. For example, at QV Melbourne, we recently welcomed Paire who opened their very first retail store having previously only been online.
What advice would you give to someone looking to start a career in the retail property industry?
Try to gain experience across a range of disciplines and areas to develop a broad knowledge so that you can appreciate various perspectives. Always be open to taking on new opportunities or projects to broaden your skills and viewpoints.
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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