In Albania’s rapidly evolving retail landscape, scale alone is no longer enough. What matters is how assets are managed, how experiences are created, and how portfolios are structured for long-term performance.
At the center of this transformation stands ACREM — and its CEO, Mariola Kuçi.
For Kuçi, the past year has not been about redefining the company’s direction, but about sharpening its structure. “The fundamentals of retail remain strong,” she suggests. “But the way we organize and operate assets must evolve with the market.”
That evolution is already visible.
From Asset Management to Platform Thinking
ACREM today manages some of the most important retail destinations in Southeast Europe, including Tirana East Gate (TEG), QTU (Qendra Tregtare Univers), and East Gate Mall in North Macedonia. But internally, the company no longer thinks in terms of individual shopping centers.
Instead, Kuçi is steering ACREM toward a fully integrated platform model.
All major value chain functions — leasing, finance, facility management, and operations — are centralized, allowing the company to operate with consistency and scale. At the same time, asset-level teams retain autonomy where it matters most: in understanding their customers and shaping local communication.
The goal is not uniformity, but alignment.
“We are not managing isolated assets,” Kuçi explains. “We are managing a portfolio that needs to perform as one ecosystem, while each destination remains relevant to its own market.”
Performance Backed by Demand
The results of this approach are tangible. In 2025, ACREM achieved full leasing occupancy across its Albanian portfolio, with both TEG and QTU reaching 100% occupancy — a signal of sustained retailer confidence in the market.
Demand continues to outpace supply, with international and regional brands actively seeking entry into the portfolio.
But for Kuçi, occupancy alone is not the metric that defines success.
“The question is no longer just how much space we lease,” she says. “It is how we activate that space — how we turn it into an experience that keeps people coming back.”
Retail as Experience Platform
Across ACREM’s assets, this shift toward experiential retail is becoming increasingly visible.
At TEG, large-scale initiatives such as “TEG Talent” have transformed the shopping center into a stage for community engagement, entertainment, and brand interaction. At QTU, long-standing formats such as Toys Market continue to evolve, blending tradition with new engagement strategies.
Shopping centers are no longer just commercial environments — they are social spaces, media platforms, and cultural hubs.
This evolution reflects a broader shift in consumer behavior, but also a deliberate strategic choice.
“Retail today is about relevance,” Kuçi notes. “People don’t just come to shop — they come to spend time, to connect, to experience something.”
Structure as a Growth Driver
To support this transformation, ACREM has recently introduced a refined organizational model — one that balances centralized control with decentralized agility.
General Managers at each asset have greater operational autonomy, enabling faster decision-making and stronger local responsiveness. At the same time, ACREM ensures strategic alignment across the portfolio through centralized coordination, financial oversight, and shared expertise.
It is a model designed for scale — but also for flexibility.
“In a growing market, speed and consistency must go hand in hand,” Kuçi explains. “Our structure allows us to do both.”
Preparing the Next Phase
Looking ahead, ACREM’s focus remains firmly on development and long-term positioning.
At TEG, preparations are underway for a major expansion that will introduce additional international brands and expand the center’s experiential offering. QTU, meanwhile, is entering a new phase of strategic repositioning aimed at reinforcing its role as a family-oriented destination.
Across the region, ACREM continues to explore new formats — including retail parks — reflecting changing urban dynamics and consumer needs.
Yet despite these developments, Kuçi’s approach remains measured.
“Growth is important,” she says. “But it must be structured, disciplined, and aligned with the realities of each market.”
A Market Still in Formation
For Kuçi, Albania and the wider Southeast European region remain markets with significant untapped potential.
Rising tourism, changing lifestyles, and increasing brand interest are reshaping the retail landscape. But the sector is still evolving — and that creates both opportunity and responsibility.
“Organized retail in our region is still being defined,” she says. “This means we have the opportunity to shape it — but also the responsibility to do it right.”
Leadership Through Alignment
In that sense, Kuçi’s leadership is less about reinvention and more about alignment.
Aligning assets within a portfolio.
Aligning strategy with market realities.
Aligning retail spaces with the expectations of a new generation of consumers.
For ACREM, the ambition is clear: to move beyond traditional asset management and position itself as a platform that connects brands, communities, and destinations.
Or, as Kuçi puts it:
“Shopping centers today must operate as living systems — where commerce, culture, and community come together.”
INTERVIEW
ACROSS: Mariola, ACREM has recently evolved its organizational structure. What is the key idea behind this shift?
Mariola Kuçi:
The key idea is alignment. As our portfolio grows, managing assets individually is no longer enough. We need a structure that allows us to operate as one platform while still preserving the uniqueness of each destination. Centralizing core functions gives us consistency and efficiency, while empowering local teams ensures we remain relevant in each market.
ACROSS: Does this mean ACREM is moving away from traditional shopping center management?
Kuçi:
Yes, in a way. Traditional management focuses on operating individual assets. Our approach is broader. We are building a platform that connects assets, brands, and communities. This allows us to think in terms of long-term portfolio performance rather than short-term, asset-specific results.
ACROSS: Your portfolio reached full occupancy in 2025. How do you interpret this result?
Kuçi:
It confirms that organized retail in our region is strong and still growing. But occupancy alone is not the goal. What matters is the quality of the tenant mix and the experience we create for visitors. Full occupancy gives us a strong foundation — now the focus is on continuously improving what we offer.
ACROSS: Experience seems to be a recurring theme. How important is it for the future of retail?
Kuçi:
It is essential. Retail today is no longer just transactional. People expect more — they want to spend time, to be entertained, to connect. Shopping centers must respond to that by becoming multi-functional environments. This is where we see the biggest opportunity to differentiate.
ACROSS: What are your priorities for the next phase of development?
Kuçi:
We are focused on structured growth. This includes expanding key assets like Tirana East Gate (TEG), repositioning assets such as QTU (Qendra Tregtare Univers), and exploring new formats like retail parks. At the same time, we continue to strengthen our operational platform to support this growth.
ACROSS: How do you see the long-term potential of retail in Southeast Europe?
Kuçi:
The potential is significant. We are still in a phase where consumer expectations are rising and the market is maturing. This creates opportunities for well-structured platforms like ACREM. The key is to remain disciplined, adaptable, and focused on long-term value creation.
