HR Retail Australia
Connect with Africa's Leading Retail CHROs and HR Innovators
HR Retail Australia is the country's premier forum for senior HR leaders in the retail sector. Taking place on 22nd October 2026 at PARKROYAL Darling Harbour, Sydney, the event brings together CHROs, HR Directors, and workforce innovators to address the defining challenges of Australian retail: AI disruption and Fair Work obligations, frontline workforce cost pressure, Gen Z talent competition, store leadership burnout, and the shift from HR as a people function to HR as a strategic workforce architecture team. Over two days, delegates will share hard-won strategies, exchange peer insights, and build the people operations that drive performance, retention and margin.
Who’s Speaking
A line-up of voices that matter in Australian retail HR.
Explore the sessions and insights shaping HR in Australian retail
October 22
- Opening Keynote : Fixing Frontline Work Before Fixing the Workforce
- Panel : Where Is Retail Losing Workforce Value? Executive Panel
- Research Session : AI & Role Redesign — Beyond Automation Headlines
- Case Study : From Rosters to Results — Real-Time Workforce Orchestration in Retail
- Panel : Culture at Scale — How Multi-Site Retail Sustains Standards
- Keynote : Employee Experience That Works — Driving Engagement Where It Matters Most
- Commercial Session : Labour Cost, Margin & Workforce ROI
October 22
- Keynote : The CHRO Agenda in Retail — Risk, Growth & Governance
- Keynote : AI and Its Real Impact on the Australian Workforce
- Panel : The Responsible Use of AI in Retail HR — A Fair Work & Compliance Lens
- Case Study : Reskilling Store Managers for Omnichannel Excellence
- Strategy : Designing Tomorrow's Retail Workforce — A Strategic L&D Blueprint
- Roundtable : Is Retail HR Structured for the Next Decade?
- Fireside Chat : Retail Workforce Mental Health as Operational Resilience
Why Attend HR Retail Australia?
Inspiring Keynotes : Hear from visionary leaders driving workforce transformation in Australian retail — grounded in data from Jobs & Skills Australia, Gartner and the latest workforce research.
Actionable Panels: Gain peer insights on AI governance, Fair Work compliance, frontline engagement, Gen Z talent strategy and commercial workforce ROI.
Unparalleled Networking: Connect with CHROs, HR Directors, workforce technology providers and retail executives from across Australia — including representatives from the country's largest retailers.
Executive Roundtables : Tackle the issues that matter most in small-group, Chatham House settings — including AI governance, HR operating model design and skills-first workforce architecture.
Join us to
Redefine Workforce Strategy
Close skills gaps, address AI-driven role disruption, and reduce Australia's 64% retail top-performer turnover rate
Govern AI Responsibly
Navigate Fair Work Act obligations, Privacy Act requirements and ethical AI deployment in Australian retail HR.
Elevate Employee Wellbeing
Address the 62% burnout rate in Australian retail and frame mental health as operational resilience, not just a wellbeing program.
Fix the Frontline Model
Redesign rostering, scheduling and shift structures that reduce labour cost variance and improve store-level productivity.
Advance Compliance & Governance
Stay ahead of Fair Work Act reform, federal AI regulation and workforce obligations specific to Australian retail.
Build Future-Ready Skills
Develop skills-first workforce architectures and career pathways that address the 32% of Australian jobs at AI transformation risk.
Australia's Leading Retailers. In One Room
From established giants to fast-growing disruptors, HR Retail Australia brings together the retailers shaping the future of the industry. Whether in fashion, grocery, pharmacy, food and beverage, or e-commerce, our programme is built around the challenges and opportunities driving people strategy in Australian retail today.
HR Retail Series Sponsors
Venue
PARKROYAL Darling Harbour, Sydney
Located on the shores of Darling Harbour in Sydney's CBD, PARKROYAL Darling Harbour offers a premium setting for HR Retail Australia 2026. Delegates will enjoy a contemporary conference environment designed for executive-level learning and networking, steps from some of Australia's most iconic retail precincts and waterfront dining.
