From frontline risk to award night success, Joanne reveals all…

On this week’s episode of the Retail Risk – Podcast, Paul catches up with Joanne Callaghan – Regional Risk & Compliance Manager at David Jones.

Fresh from a successful night at the Australian Fraud Awards (more on that later), Joanne brings Paul up to speed on what’s really happening on the shop floor at the luxury department store right now.

From overhauling compliance programmes to managing a remit she describes as “anything that goes wrong, we fix it,” it quickly becomes clear this is a role that goes far beyond traditional loss prevention. Supply chain issues, quality control, operational challenges… nothing is off limits.

The conversation also turns to one of the biggest issues facing retailers today: colleague safety. With Australia seeing a rise in violence and weapon-related incidents in stores, Joanne doesn’t sugar-coat it; this is a fast-moving, constantly evolving challenge that demands ongoing focus and vigilance.

And, of course, Paul couldn’t let the opportunity pass without getting the inside story on David Jones’ success at the recent awards, including Joanne’s surprise at being named Regional Profit Protection Manager of the Year.

“It was a really proud moment for me and one that I won’t forget,” she says – a fitting recognition after an outstanding 35-year career in retail.

The episode rounds off with a look ahead to what’s next, both professionally and personally, including a potential softball grand final!