Australian Retailers Association (ARA) CEO Paul Zahra has resigned, as the group moves to merge with the National Retail Association.
The head of the leading national retail body for almost five years, Mr Zahra said the proposed amalgamation provided a natural exit point, allowing a successor to drive the new entity into the future.
“As the ARA progresses to amalgamate with the National Retail Association, a professional goal I have long advocated for, I believe I’ve completed what I set out to do for the industry,” he said.
“It’s now time for me to reset and refresh for new challenges and pass the baton to a successor who will lead the new entity into the future.”
Mr Zahra said the ARA’s efforts alongside members through the pandemic years helped ensure the resilience of the sector.
“It would be true to say this has been the most disrupted decade for retail in recent history, navigating the pandemic and global cost of living crunch, intense labour shortages, an unprecedented retail crime wave, supply chain disruption and the most intense set of industrial relations changes in decades,” he said.
