James Stewart

Partner, Turnaround and Restructuring National Leader, Consumer and Retail

Background

James has c.38 years of restructuring and turnaround experience. For 25 years James was a Partner of Ferrier Hodgson, one of Australia’s leading boutique turnaround and restructuring businesses. Ferrier Hodgson was acquired by KPMG in 2019. At the time of the acquisition he was National Leader and Chairman of Partners.

James has served as a member of KPMG Australia’s National Board and held various executive management positions including the National Leader of the Turnaround and Restructuring practice between 2019 and 2023.

James is one of Australia’s leading retail restructuring specialists and is the Global Retail Restructuring Leader for KPMG.

James has advised numerous company Boards facing organisational change or financial stress. He is experienced in working collaboratively with management to manage difficult situations and develop practical turnaround plans to achieve stakeholder objectives.

James is the co-editor of the annual Australian Retail Outlook published by Inside Retail Magazine, a co-author of KPMG’s flagship Retail Health Index, a data driven quarterly perspective on the future health of Australia’s retail sector and a regular commentator on the challenges and opportunities facing retail brands.

Advisory experience

•Advisor to the Australian Board of a global retail households goods conglomerate ($15bn Euro global sales: AUD$2bn sales) after an accounting crisis caused financial stakeholders to threaten to withdraw support. The business avoided insolvency and entered into a consensual restructure and sale of its business units.

•Advisor to Board of an ASX listed value retailer challenged by sustained underperformance. Business avoided insolvency and returned to profitability.

•Advisor to the Board of major Australian department store (AUD$3bn in sales) impacted by COVID 19.

•Trusted advisor to major Australian financial institutions on their exposure to retail and consumer businesses in Australia and NZ.

Restructuring experience

•Administrator/Receiver of many high profile Australian brands such as; Dick Smith Electronics; Jeanswest; Colorado Group; Australian Discount Retail; Sportsgirl/Sportscraft Group; Payless Shoes; Australian Music Group (Billy Hyde Music); Topshop; Wow Sight & Sound; Harris Scarfe (senior leadership role) and BWX Ltd, a $270m specialist skincare products (Sukin) manufacturer.

Organised by

Held in

Privacy Policy

The Comexposium Group pays meticulous attention to protecting personal data. This is an essential condition to the relationship of trust the Comexposium Group wishes to establish with all those who entrust it with their personal data.

This privacy policy (hereinafter the “Policy“) indicates the practices and conditions in which the company [Comexposium] (hereinafter the “Company“) processes your personal Data.

This Policy applies when your Data are collected on the websites published by entities in the Comexposium Group (hereinafter the “Sites“) and in the context of any kind of relationship you have with the Company.

Personal data (hereinafter the “Data“) consist of all information relating to an identified or identifiable natural person. An “identifiable natural person” is an individual who can be identified directly or indirectly, notably by reference to an identifier such as a name, an identification number, location data, an online login, or one or more specific elements relating to his or her physical, physiological, genetic, psychic, economic, cultural or social identity, as this term is defined by current regulations.

1 – WHICH DATA IS COLLECTED?

Depending on how you interact with the Company and the purpose of this interaction, the Company may collect the following Data:

Data linked with your identity: these Data mainly designate your full name, electronic address, postal address, telephone number and profile (applicant, visitor, exhibitor, etc.).
Data linked with your order: these Data designate all information required to satisfy and complete your order, particularly information relating to the bank card used (name of cardholder, card number, expiry date, etc.), the details and date of the order and exchanges with the sales department. In any event, Data linked with payment are processed according to the regulations and security standards applicable.
Data linked with connection to and use of the Customer Account when you have one: these Data designate all the information you need to access your personal space and all information concerning use of the Customer Account, particularly your login and password, your choices and preferences and the history of the events in which you have participated. In any event, the Customer Account is subject to the general terms and conditions for specific use.
Data linked with browsing: these Data concern the way in which Users browse on the Site. These Data may include the IP address, the screen resolution, the browser used, the time spent browsing, the search history, the operating system used, the language and the pages viewed.
Data linked with your participation in events: date of participation, stands visited and purchases made.
Data linked with the use of social media: when you interact with the social media functions.

2 – HOW IS YOUR DATA COLLECTED?

2.1. Depending on how you interact with the Company, the latter may collect your Data as follows.

2.2. The Company collects your Data directly from you, including when you fill in a contact or registration form, when you place an order or when you contact the Company (for example, by emailing it).

2.3. The Company collect your Data indirectly when you browse on the Sites by means of cookies and web beacons in the conditions defined above. The Company also collects your Data via third parties including the social media, when you use the account you hold with these third parties to log on or sign up for an event.

2.4. When you communicate Data to the Company, it is your responsibility to ensure that they are accurate and complete. If necessary, you should update them.

2.5. Data presented as compulsory are needed to manage your request and enable us to provide you with the services required. The compulsory or optional nature of Data is indicated in the forms, as well as any consequences if you fail to provide the information.

3 – WHY IS YOUR DATA COLLECTED?

Your Data are automatically processed by the Company for various purposes described below, in the context of your use of the Sites and your participation in events organised by the Company on its own behalf or that of a third party.

Your Data are processed to manage the requests you send us, and to contact you.

If you are a customer, based on the execution of the contract signed with the Company (general terms and conditions of pre-registration, general terms and conditions of ticketing sales or general terms and conditions of participation), your Data are processed to manage your application to participate and your orders, and to organise your participation and visits at the events we stage on our own behalf or that of a third party.
Your Data are also processed by the Company to send you surveys after events and analyse their results, in view of constantly improving the events it organises.
If you are a professional prospect, the Company may send you its news and commercial information, by any means, based on its legitimate interest in promoting the event it organises.
If you are a non-professional prospect, the Company may send you its news and commercial information, by any means, if you have agreed to this.

If you have agreed, the Company may also send you, by any means, commercial news and information concerning events organised by other entities of the COMEXPOSIUM group and/or partners’ services.

With your consent when this is required, your Data may also be processed to (i) analyse your preferences and habits, (ii) customise and optimise your experience on the COMEXPOSIUM Group Sites, including by enabling you to access certain functions, and in order to develop the interactivity of the Sites, (iii) to collect statistics, particularly on the effectiveness of the COMEXPOSIUM Group’s prospecting campaigns.

4 – WHO ARE THE RECIPIENTS OF YOUR DATA?

4.1. Your Data are processed by the Company’s internal teams. In addition, only the service providers and a restricted number of their authorised staff are permitted to access your Data with regard to the specific services entrusted to them, which they must carry out exclusively for the Company in strict compliance with obligations, particularly concerning security and confidentiality.

4.2. With your consent when this is required, your Data may be transmitted to entities in the Group to which the Company belongs, and to partners, mainly so that they can send you information and news about the services and products they offer.

4.3. When current regulations so require, the Company may transmit your Data to organisations and authorities legally authorised to access them (including the judicial and administrative authorities).

5 – HOW IS YOUR DATA PROTECTED?

The Company takes every necessary precaution to maintain the security and confidentiality of your Data, mainly to prevent them from being distorted, damaged or disclosed, or accessed by non-authorised third parties.

6 – WHAT ARE YOUR RIGHTS?

6.1. Pursuant to applicable regulations and under the conditions defined in them, you can, at any time, exercise your:

Right of access: you can ask the Company for information on the processing of Data concerning you and a copy of these Data.
Right of correction: you can demand the correction of inaccurate Data concerning you when those held by the Company are erroneous or incomplete.
Right of deletion: you have the right to obtain the deletion of your Data by the Company if one of the reasons stipulated by the regulations exists (unnecessary Data, withdrawal of your consent for processing based on the latter, etc.).
Right of opposition: at any time, for reasons concerning your particular situation, you have the right to oppose the processing of your Data, including for commercial prospecting purposes.
Right to the portability of your Data: you have the right to receive Data in an exploitable form. This right only concerns cases where Data are provided to the Company by yourself, or result from the use you make of its services. These Data are processed on the basis of your consent or during the execution of a contract.
Right of limitation: you can ask the Company to suspend the processing of your Data when one of the reasons stipulated by the regulations exists (contestation of the accuracy of Data, etc.).
According to conditions defined by the regulations, you also have a right to give general or specific directives regarding what happens to your Data after your death. However, please note that only specific directives relating to the processing of Data by the Company for reasons defined in this Policy will be registered by the Company, subject to its specific consent.

6.2. When your Data are processed with your consent, you can revoke this at any time. However, please note that processing carried out before this revocation remains valid.

6.3. You can exercise your rights by contacting the Company:

By electronic mail at this address: privacy@comexposium.com
By sending a letter to this address: COMEXPOSIUM – Privacy, 70 avenue du Général de Gaulle 92058 Paris La Défense cedex.

Please note that in certain cases, functions of the Sites enable you to view and modify Data you have communicated to the Company.

You are informed that the Company has a period of one month from receipt of your request to answer it.

7 – HOW LONG DO WE STORE YOUR DATA?

7.1. The Company stores your Data for a period that does not exceed the time required for the purposes indicated in this Policy. Beyond that date, your Data maybe archived to comply with legal obligations incumbent on the Company, or deleted.

7.2. Data providing proof of a right or a contract or stored in respect of a legal obligation by the Company are archived in compliance with current provisions.

7.3. The Company factors in the seasonal nature of the events it organises. In this respect, you will find below the storage periods defined according to the type of event in question.

Type Of Event	Data Storage Period	People Concerned
Quarterly, six-monthly or annual events	During a period of 5 years from the date on which the contact person most recently expressed an interest	All types of participants at events (exhibitors, visitors, guests, partners, speakers, etc.)
Biennial and triennial events	During a period of three sessions from the date on which the contact person most recently expressed an interest

8 – YOUR DATA WILL BE SHARED

This event is executed in partnership with National Retail Federation (NRF). Your data will be shared with both parties; Comexposium Asia Pacific and NRF.

9 – COOKIES

You are informed that when you visit the Site, one or more Cookies may be installed on your device.

9.1. What is a Cookie?

Within the meaning of this Policy, a Cookie designates all forms of access and registration of information on your device, including information sent by the Sites and stored by your browser in a dedicated space on the device’s hard drive.

9.2. Why and how are Cookies used?

9.2.1. The Company uses Cookies to:

Ensure that the Sites run smoothly, and optimise their performance,
Adapt the Sites to your preferences. For example, the Site adapts to the display preferences of your device, including by factoring in the language used and the display resolution.
Facilitate your browsing, particularly by removing the need to re-enter information with every visit to the Sites,
Carry out measurements of the Sites’ audiences and the communications sent to you,
Carry out targeted advertising adapted to your centres of interest,
Develop the interactivity of the Sites.

9.2.2. You are also informed that the Company allows third parties to install Cookies via the Sites. The Company draws your attention to the fact that these Cookies are solely used by these third parties.

9.3. What types of Cookies are used?

9.3.1. Technical Cookies

The purpose of Technical Cookies Techniques is to facilitate browsing on the Site, and enable and improve the operation of Sites and access to their various functions.
They also make it possible to implement security measures. For example, when this applies to you, by asking you to log on again to the exhibitor space after a certain lapse of time.
You are informed that if you decide to deactivate these Technical Cookies, access to the services may be altered. In this context, the Company’s liability cannot be incurred under any circumstances.

9.3.2. Audience Measurement Cookies

Audience Measurement Cookies measure the number of visits to Sites and the communications sent to you (contents, sections, time spent, browser used, etc.).
You are informed that these Audience Measurement Cookies may be installed on Sites by third parties on behalf of the Company.

9.3.3. Third-Party Targeted Advertising Cookies (Third-Party Advertising Cookies)

Third-party advertising Cookies make it possible to propose advertising adapted to your centres of interest. They are installed by the Company or by third parties either on behalf of the Company or on their own behalf.
To find out more about targeted advertising and how you can opt out from this type of advertising, you can visit www.aboutads.info/choices or www.youronlinechoices.eu

9.3.4. Third-Party Cookies linked to social media share buttons (Third-Party Social Media Cookies)

Third-party Social Media Cookies make it possible to share the Site’s content with third parties. This is the case with “share” or “like” buttons used by Facebook and Twitter, for example. The Company has no control over these Third-party Social Media Cookies or the Data collected through companies managing these social media.
If you do not wish the companies managing social media to link Data collected by the Sites where you have an account, you should first log off the social media concerned.
Users are recommended to read the privacy policies of the social media management companies concerned.

9.4. How long are Cookies stored?

In compliance with data protection principles, you are informed that Cookies are stored for the period strictly required for the purposes they are used for, within the limits defined by the competent protection authority.

GLOSSARY

Personal Data

This consists of any information concerning a directly or indirectly identified or identifiable natural person, including through references to identifiers such as a name, identification number, telephone number, email address and online login.

Processing of Personal Data

This consists of any operation or group of operations carried out on personal data.

Processing Manager

Your personal data are collected and processed by a legal entity in the Comexposium. Group. This entity is known as the “processing manager”, i.e. it is the organisation that determines the processing purposes and means