Lucy Thomas

Lucy Thomas is Head of Retail at Auckland Airport, New Zealand’s busiest international gateway and one of the country’s largest publicly listed companies. With over 20 years of airport retail experience, Lucy leads the strategy and performance of a diverse commercial portfolio spanning both travel retail and ‘high street’ retail. 

Lucy is responsible for retail across both international and domestic terminals, as well as the recently launched Mānawa Bay Premium Outlet Centre, a landmark development that expands Auckland Airport’s retail ecosystem beyond the terminal. Her team oversees the full retail lifecycle, from planning and design through to leasing, development, operations, and marketing, delivering some of New Zealand’s highest performing retail assets. 

She is currently leading several major transformation initiatives, including retail planning for Auckland Airport’s $3.9 billion integrated terminal development, alongside ongoing terminal upgrades designed to enhance customer experience and commercial outcomes for brand partners. 

Lucy has played a key role in reshaping Auckland Airport’s retail model, most notably leading the transition to a single operator duty free structure in 2023, aligning the airport with global best practice and delivering a more seamless experience for travellers and brands. 

With a background in consumer insight and commercial strategy, Lucy brings a deep understanding of traveller behaviour and evolving retail expectations. 

Lucy is a board member of the Asia Pacific Travel Retail Association, representing airports across Oceania, and contributes to the industry’s sustainability agenda through the association’s sustainability sub-committee.