ALEXANDRA SMART
GAICD, MBA, BA Comm
Alexandra Smart is a creative business strategist, entrepreneur, and advisor, with over 30 years of experience in hyper-competitive industries including media, fashion and retail.
Alexandra is best known for founding and scaling her own luxury fashion luxury enterprise, Ginger & Smart.
As Managing Director, Alexandra led the growth and expansion strategy of the brand across multiple channels: national and international, digital, wholesale, and corporate. This lived entrepreneurial experience has equipped her with highly practical insights and management skills. Both now enrich her work as and business advisor and executive coach.
In Fashion
Creative Thinking & Commercial Imperatives
Coaching & Mentoring
Speaking
Fashion is as competitive and fast-paced as it gets. It is an industry where understanding consumer trends and behaviours are critical. Alexandra has a natural gift for identifying vital consumer insights and using them strategically. Inside a fashion business, there is also a world of complexity in strategy, people leadership, digital and e-commerce, design, manufacturing, supply chain management and ESG. Alexandra’s passion and vision oiled the Ginger & Smart machine.
It is Alexandra’s ability to combine creative thinking and commercial imperatives that has forged a reputation that is defined by her business acumen, modern leadership style, strategic thinking, and high performance.
Today, Alexandra divides her time between directorships, advisory roles, and coaching and mentoring. Her work is also informed by previous executive leadership roles in the media and digital sectors, as it is by her close involvement in both the arts and fashion industry development.
More broadly, Alexandra is an authoritative spokesperson for the fashion industry and a seasoned public speaker. She was recently voted into the Power 30 List of Influential Retailers. Alexandra's speaking topics are here
Alexandra is a graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors (GAICD), holds a Master of Business Administration (MBA) from AGSM, and a Bachelor of Communications (Journalism; University of Technology Sydney).
Roles & Achievements
+ Alexandra is a board member of the Melbourne Fashion Festival
+ A board member of The Social Outfit
+ A committee member of the Contemporary Collectors Benefactors at the Art Gallery of NSW
+ A mentor with the AGSM/UNSW Alumni Leader Mentor program
+ A former member of the Textiles, Clothing and Footwear Innovation Committee, advising the Australian Government on issues around innovation and local manufacturing in the sector.
TESTIMONIALS
Alexandra’s keynote at the Mums & Co MPowered Conference was polished, insightful and interesting. Alexandra’s insights into her personal and professional journey building Ginger & Smart gave us the opportunity to learn more about her successful career, hear what it takes to make it, and receive some useful advice to keep striving for our business ambitions.
We particularly enjoyed her insights into the realities and the hard parts of running a business, and how she has combined being a mum and an entrepreneur. Something that the 300+ participants found relatable and empowering.
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