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Excellence in customer experience
2027 nominations open! Select a category below.
The Retailer Awards is the ultimate accolade that recognises retailers at the forefront of excellence in customer experience (cx).
If you have created a customer experience of the highest standard, make sure it’s noticed.
Nominations open
14 October 2026
Nominations close
3 December 2026
Finalists announced
14 January 2027
Winners announced
25 February 2027
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Retailer Awards 2027
Twelve years strong. Celebrating the best in customer experiences.
The Retailer Awards is marked as the pivotal event for the retail sector. Celebrating its tenth year, the awards highlight customer experience excellence across Australia and New Zealand and attract some of the best talent the retail industry has to offer.
The awards are managed and run by the superstar team behind Inside Retail and Octomedia, one of Australia’s leading B2B publishers.
Winners are announced at a Gala Evening in Melbourne.
Meet your judges
Thanks for taking the time out of your busy schedules.
Nicola Clement
Founder and E-commerce Consultant – NJ Clement Consulting
Nick Gray is the Founder & CEO of IGU Global, a Sydney-based retail strategy consultancy. With 25 years across Nike, Adidas, Diesel, Sneakerboy and Westfield, Nick works with founders and leadership teams on retail strategy, emotional intelligence and brand clarity in an AI-accelerated world. Recognised as a Top Retail Expert 2026 by Rethink Retail.
Nick Gray
Founder and CEO – IGU Global
Dr Jason Pallant is Founding Director of RMIT University’s new Marketing Technology Lab, a world leading facility testing emerging technologies and their impact on customer experience across retail and associated sectors. As a ‘pracademic’ he has authored dozens of peer-reviewed academic studies in retail, technology, and CX while also consulting to major brands, retail operators, and agencies. He was the first Australian academic to be named to Re:Think Retail’s global list of Top Retail Experts, and has been on the list since 2023. Jason regularly shares his insights with public audiences as a keynote speaker and media commentator, featured author for Inside Retail, and past judge for Inside Retail and the National Retail Association (now ARC).
Dr Jason Pallant
Director, Marketing Technology Lab – RMIT University
Dean Salakas is an award-winning retail leader, entrepreneur and advisor with more than 25 years’ experience across retail, e-commerce, technology and business transformation.
He is the Co-Founder and CEO of Retail Community, one of Australia’s largest and most active retail networks. Previously, Dean led The Party People, transforming the family business from a single bricks-and-mortar store into a leading omnichannel retailer before exiting in 2024.
Having won more than 40 retail industry awards throughout his career, Dean is no stranger to the awards stage. He was a multi-year finalist and winner at the Inside Retail Awards and now brings that experience, along with more than two decades of hands-on retail leadership, to the judging panel.
Dean Salakis
CEO & Co-Founder – Retail Community
Anna Samkova
Co-founder and Strategic Advisor – Albany Advisory
Charlie Watt is an independent brand and marketing leader with over 15 years of experience across fashion, beauty, premium and luxury brands. Her career includes leadership roles at iconic Australian retailer Country Road, where she helped lead its landmark 50th anniversary celebrations and a First Nations commission in partnership with the National Gallery of Victoria. Her experience also spans MECCA Brands, renowned for its innovative approach to beauty retail and customer experience.
Having worked with some of Australia's most recognised and award-winning brands, Charlie understands what it takes to turn creative ambition into exceptional customer experiences and commercial success. She now brings that experience to her work with leading Australian brands, shaping strategy, campaigns, partnerships and retail experiences that drive meaningful customer engagement and long-term growth.
Charlie Watt
Independent Brand & Marketing Leader – C Watt Consulting
Heather McIlvaine
Managing editor, features and premium – Inside Retail
Robert Stockdill
Global Head of News – Inside Retail
Stephanie Caite Chadwick is the Features and Premium Editor of Inside Retail Australia. She contributes to Inside Retail’s content for paid subscribers and is the Editor of the publication's quarterly print magazine. As part of Inside Retail’s editorial team, Stephanie has covered numerous retail conferences, brand launches, fashion weeks, earnings reports as well as executive interviews.
Stephanie Caite Chadwick
Editor, Features & Premium, Inside Retail Australia
Tahlia is a Features and Premium Editor at Inside Retail and Inside FMCG. She is the editor of Inside FMCG's quarterly print magazine and contributes to Inside Retail's exclusive content.
Tahlia Whitfield
Editor, Features & Premium, Inside Retail Australia
Contact
Have a question? Let us know at: events@insideretail.com.au