st moments across the last 10 years have been watching some of my team rise up and do what they love. Some have progressed their careers in retail doing amazing things and having great success in their roles, where others have gone on to do other incredible work that they are passionate about and feel like they are contributing to the wider world in different ways. Other proud moments in my career have been watching some of the brands I have worked with across the time grow and expand – not only in size but also in depth of operation and the quality of the experience they are offering to their customers and employees. IR: Can you discuss some of your long-term career goals? GR: Long term, I really would like to continue to contribute to this industry to help make it an industry that people want to have careers in! In Australia, the retail industry is not seen as a career opportunity for a lot of people but it really can be, so I would love to continue to be able to help shape the industry and the thinking about the industry. I would love to be able to continue to operate in leadership roles whether that is GM, consulting or beyond – focusing on helping leaders within this industry have better human strategies to drive sales results and overall business success. IR: Can you discuss a few people who have had a significant impact on your career? GR: Along the way, I have had many leaders and colleagues who have inspired me and challenged me, I have also had lots who taught me what I didn’t want to be, but there are a few that have really stood out to me over the years. Back in my early days at Nine West, I remember the HR manager at the time flew to Sydney one day to thank my team and I for dealing with a flood that we had experienced – and she felt it was necessary to be there in person to thank us. I remember it so vividly because it showed me the importance of showing appreciation in person and giving people time – it’s our most precious offering. I also think of the people who took a chance on me in the early days – they gave me opportunities that I probably wasn’t 100 per cent ready to step into, but they believed in me and let me have a go and gave me the resources and support I needed to be successful! IR: What are some of your biggest achievements, and where do you see yourself in five years’ time? GR: I see myself working with businesses and teams to help drive business growth through successful human strategy. I think some of my biggest achievements have been the customer journey that has been created at Sheike over the last three years and also the leadership development programs I have written and developed over the years. Again, the investment we make in our people at a holistic level is what helps us drive a stronger business result overall. We have to help our team see their purpose in our business and we have to be committed to seeing how we can make their everyday work meaningful to them. IR: What do you love most about working in the retail industry? GR: I love that we are a human industry. It’s all about people, it’s about growing relationships and truly understanding how to connect! In basically no other industry would you have scenarios where people are expected to have such broad range skillsets – good at people, good at operations, good at selling, good at recruitment, good at the detail, good at the big picture, good at being creative. We cover it all, and we can help people upskill in all these areas.