Seasoned leaders and an independent, sector-wide board guiding strategy and governance.
Tully Smith is an Australian business and corporate affairs leader with extensive experience representing industry, building influential stakeholder networks, and leading membership-based organisations at the intersection of business and public policy.
He serves as Executive Director of the Retail Safety Alliance, where he leads the organisation’s engagement with retailers, government and industry to strengthen safety across Australia’s retail sector and ensure frontline workers and businesses are better protected.
Tully previously served as Chief Executive Officer of the Australia India Chamber of Commerce (AICC) and as General Manager of the American Chamber of Commerce in Australia (AmCham). In these roles he represented the interests of member companies, convened senior leaders across business and government, and advanced policy and trade initiatives that strengthened Australia’s economic relationships with key global partners.
His career spans corporate affairs, strategy and international engagement across government, business and the not-for-profit sector, including senior roles with ASX-listed companies such as Telstra. His work has focused on helping organisations navigate complex policy environments, strengthen their reputation, and build constructive relationships with government and regulators.
Alongside his leadership in industry advocacy, Tully is a company director and entrepreneur. With an expertise in global trade and investment facilitation, he supports companies to expand internationally, and holds board roles across trade, technology, agriculture and ESG innovation ventures.
Raised in regional Victoria near Ballarat, Tully brings a strong belief in practical leadership, community responsibility and the importance of ensuring Australian industries remain safe, resilient and globally competitive. He now lives in Melbourne with his fiancée, Agnieszka, and their three dogs.
Fred Harrison is the long-serving Chief Executive Officer and Director of Ritchies Stores, one of Australia’s largest independent supermarket and liquor retail groups.
Having joined the company in 1975 as a casual employee, he worked his way through every level of the business before being appointed CEO in 1994, leading its transformation into a national network of more than 80 supermarkets and liquor stores employing over 6,500 people and generating approximately $1.5 billion in annual turnover.
Under his leadership, Ritchies has become the largest independent licensed supermarket operator in Australia while contributing more than $54 million to community organisations through charitable initiatives.
As a Board Member of the Retail Safety Alliance, Harrison also brings decades of frontline retail experience to the issue of crime and violence in stores, making him one of the sector’s strongest voices advocating for improved retail safety and better protections for Australian retail workers.
James Scuderi is Group Executive Director of the GETC Group, including its Consoli design division, which specialises in the design and delivery of global FFE and fit-out solutions for large-scale commercial, hospitality, purpose-built student accommodation, residential and retail projects.
Through his leadership of GETC, James sits at the intersection of retail design, frontline operations, and worker safety. The Group delivers fit-outs for clients ranging from small, family-run retailers through to national retail brands, giving James a unique, ground-level view of how safety pressures are changing across the sector.
Increasingly, GETC’s retail clients are asking that the safety of frontline workers be a core design consideration, not an afterthought. Issues such as staff exposure to theft, intimidation, and violence — particularly linked to organised retail crime and illicit trade — are now shaping how stores are designed, laid out, secured, and operated. Through its teams, GETC works closely with store owners, operators, and national retail groups who are all confronting the same challenge: how to protect staff while maintaining viable, welcoming retail environments.
As a founder and director of multiple local and international businesses across construction, design and biotechnology, James brings strong commercial insight, including into how crime and safety failures undermine lawful trade, investment confidence, and employment.
James is also Co-Founder and Chair of the not-for-profit Fello Foundation, reflecting his commitment to community wellbeing and the role that private enterprise plays in supporting safer, healthier communities.
On the board of the Retail Safety Alliance, James contributes a practical, delivery-focused perspective, grounded in real-world retail and built environments, helping ensure the Alliance’s advocacy remains connected to the lived experience of retailers and frontline workers across Australia.
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A Simple Model Real Impact
By streamlining efforts, the Alliance strengthens safety, enforcement, and community protection across Australia.
Join the AllianceFrequently Asked Questions
Why was the Retail Safety Alliance created?
The Retail Safety Alliance was established in response to sustained concerns across Australia’s retail ecosystem about escalating safety pressures. This includes organised retail crime, violence and intimidation toward frontline workers, and illegal trade activity.
While many organisations are active in related areas, there was no single national platform dedicated to aligning these interconnected issues into a coordinated, outcomes-focused engagement effort. The Alliance was formed to address that structural gap.
Does the Alliance duplicate the work of existing industry bodies?
No.
The Alliance does not replace or compete with existing retail associations, chambers of commerce, unions, or enforcement agencies. It operates as a coordination platform, aligning evidence, unifying messaging, and strengthening sustained engagement on retail safety and trade integrity.
Members continue their own advocacy independently. The Alliance exists to amplify and align, not duplicate.
Is the Retail Safety Alliance focused only on illicit tobacco?
No.
Illicit tobacco is one important example of illegal trade activity that fuels organised criminal networks, undermines lawful retailers and contributes to safety risks. However, the Alliance’s focus is broader.
The Alliance addresses interconnected issues including:
- Organised and repeat-driven retail crime
- Violence and intimidation toward frontline workers
- Illegal trade activity that undermines retail integrity and community safety
Illicit tobacco is a significant component, but it is not the sole or defining issue.
Who is involved in the Alliance?
The Alliance brings together individuals from across the retail ecosystem, including:
- Retail operators
- Retail member organisations
- Professionals connected to retail environments (such as design, fit-out, and security specialists)
- Individuals with law enforcement experience
- Independent directors
This diversity reflects the reality that retail safety is not confined to one segment of the sector.
Why are retail design and fit-out professionals involved?
Retail safety pressures increasingly influence store design, layout, and operational decisions. Retail fit-out and design professionals are being asked to incorporate enhanced worker safety and loss prevention considerations into store planning.
Their inclusion reflects the broader ecosystem impact of retail crime and safety risks.
Why are the Alliance’s domain names or registration details linked to Smith Strategic?
During the formation phase, Smith Strategic was engaged to establish the organisational framework of the Retail Safety Alliance.
This included administrative setup, structural development, stakeholder coordination, and early-stage governance arrangements. As part of that process, initial registrations and digital assets were secured under Smith Strategic’s administration to enable the Alliance to commence operations without delay.
The Alliance is transitioning toward an incorporated model with an independent board, at which point governance and asset structures will align with that standalone framework.
What is Smith Strategic’s role?
Smith Strategic was engaged to facilitate the establishment of the Alliance and to provide structural and administrative support during its formation phase.
Tully Smith, Managing Director of Smith Strategic, serves as Executive Director of the Retail Safety Alliance. In that capacity, he is responsible for day-to-day coordination, stakeholder engagement and strategic implementation under board oversight.
The engagement of Smith Strategic enabled the Alliance to move from concept to operation in a disciplined and structured manner.
Why was Tully Smith appointed Executive Director?
Tully Smith brings experience in corporate affairs, public policy engagement and representation of broad membership-based organisations.
His background includes senior roles in chambers of commerce and business associations, where he led advocacy and government engagement on complex policy matters affecting diverse membership bases.
The Executive Director role requires coordination across retailers, enforcement stakeholders, policymakers and media, experience aligned with Mr Smith’s professional background.
Is the Alliance independent?
Yes.
The Retail Safety Alliance operates as an independent platform. It is not owned by any single retailer, association, manufacturer, political party or commercial interest.
It is transitioning toward a fully incorporated structure governed by an independent board representing a cross-section of the retail ecosystem.
What is the Alliance’s governance model?
The Alliance is moving toward incorporation under an independent board of directors.
The proposed board structure includes:
- Am Executive Director
- Retail representation
- Retail member organisation representation
- Law enforcement community representation
- Independent directors
Board roles are non-remunerated and focused on strategic oversight.
Why not wait until incorporation is complete before commencing work?
Retail safety pressures are immediate and ongoing. Establishing formal governance structures requires careful and responsible process.
The current model ensures that coordinated engagement can proceed while incorporation and long-term governance arrangements are finalised. Delaying action until every administrative step is complete would risk losing momentum on urgent safety issues.
How is the Alliance funded?
The Alliance is supported through membership participation and contributions from involved organisations. It operates with a deliberately lean structure ensuring resources are directed toward engagement and outcomes rather than overhead.
Further details will be formalised as the incorporated structure is completed.
Is the Alliance aligned to a political party or organisation?
No.
The Alliance engages with governments of all parties, regulators and enforcement agencies on policy and safety matters affecting the retail sector.
Its focus is issue-based and outcomes-driven, not partisan.
Is the Alliance a lobby group?
The Alliance engages in advocacy related to retail safety and enforcement consistency. However, it is structured as a coordination platform bringing together sector expertise and evidence to inform public policy discussions.
Its work centres on safety outcomes, enforcement alignment and trade integrity.
What outcomes is the Alliance seeking?
The Alliance seeks:
- Improved safety for frontline retail workers
- More consistent and coordinated enforcement responses
- Reduced space for organised and repeat-driven retail crime
- Stronger action against illegal trade activity
- Restoration of confidence in retail environments
How can organisations become involved?
Participation pathways will expand as the Alliance formalises its incorporated structure. Interested organisations can contact the Executive Director to discuss membership or engagement opportunities.
