Laura Dai joins Auror as Retail Solutions Director for Canada

With nearly a decade of experience in retail and a love of dogs, yoga and oat matcha latte, Laura Dai joins Auror to lead retail solutions in Canada as Auror’s first Canadian hire.

We asked Laura about her experience and why she chose to spend this season of her career addressing Organized Retail Crime (ORC) in Canada.

‍How would you summarize your career journey?

From store manager of a local board game shop to operations manager at a tech startup serving retail stores to directing project management, my career journey has been everything but boring. It’s also taken me around the world with projects spanning Lithuania, UK, Italy, Netherlands, USA and Canada. I love how international experience is shaping my view on business and life to be open, inclusive and well-rounded.

Why did you join Auror? 

I first heard about Auror through my personal network of retail professionals. The company’s mission immediately resonated with my personal goal to build a purpose-filled career.

Along with the chance to work alongside talented people in a welcoming culture, it was the drive to not only reduce theft but transform the entire approach to loss prevention using data that drew me to Auror.

“I believe in the power of intelligence and collaboration to solve problems, and Auror’s technology enables retailers, law enforcement and the wider community to work together to prevent crime before it happens.”

What made you first fall in love with retail?

I got really lucky with my first “serious” job. I started my retail career working at a board game shop as a student helping other board game enthusiasts with their next game choice. It was my dream job.

The most rewarding part about working in retail is seeing how your team works like a well-oiled engine to serve customers and bring joy to their day-to-day lives, even if the dollar amount seems trivial.

After seeing how much joy a hobby or new purchase can bring to customers, I got curious about how I could transfer that feeling to internal team dynamics and business processes. I started studying the “behind the scenes” of retail and loved it.

Working in retail tech allows me to still be very close to the retail world and serve this community with tools and services that make their daily lives easier.

What are the biggest challenges facing the Canadian market?

“Retail crime in Canada has been on the rise, particularly in urban centers like Toronto, Vancouver and Montreal, where the density of retail stores combined with economic pressures can create higher risks.”

While many retailers have adopted new technologies, there are still a number of challenges that limit their full potential—fragmentation of systems, outdated legacy workflows and methods, data overload, lack of real-time insights, just to name a few. 

How is Canada different from other markets?

The northern country has a lower population density outside of the larger urban hubs, which means retailers in smaller cities or more remote areas might experience different crime patterns compared to the US or UK, where retail theft is often more concentrated in densely populated areas.

“Canada presents distinct differences in its approach to crime. It generally has more centralized systems in certain regions. At the same time, there’s a greater focus on community policing and partnership between the private and public sectors.”

What opportunities do you see for Canadian retailers?

The Canadian retail community is at a critical juncture right now, especially in terms of how it addresses the growing challenge of retail crime. As we see theft and fraud becoming more sophisticated, the importance of adopting smarter, more proactive solutions cannot be overstated.

Those challenges create opportunities for innovative solutions like Auror to bridge the gap between retailers and law enforcement. Auror helps retailers not only tackle common issues like theft and fraud but also build a deeper understanding of local crime trends, enabling them to act proactively. 

Interested in learning more about Auror's growth in Canada? Set up a chat with Laura.