ACROSS | The European Retail Real Estate Magazine

The Balmain Asset Management group is one of Europe’s most experienced specialist shopping centre asset managers and co-investors. The principals within Balmain have directly leased, developed, asset managed, and acquired 127 shopping centres globally covering 6.5 million sq m of retail GLA with nearly €18 billion of value. It’s principals and senior executive team has 320 combined years’ of property experience. Balmain manages 23 properties in Poland covering more than 1,200 retail leases. Balmain’s Polish shopping centres serve over 42 million customers per annum; greater than the 38 million population of Poland itself. Balmain has leased on excess of 150,000 sq m of space since 2005.

BEHF, a Vienna based international architectural company, was established by the principals Armin Ebner, Susi Hasenauer and Stephan Ferenczy in 1996. Since then, BEHF has executed a wide range of award winning projects in Europe and Asia. The heart of BEHF is the understanding of good architecture as a result of good communication. The architecture becomes an intricate part and message of the corporate culture of the client. BEHF is acting in an international network with partners in completive branches; its internal organisation has been set up for large-scale and challenging projects.

BOUWFONDS Investment Management is the real asset investment management division of Rabo Real Estate Group. Through our non-listed funds, separate mandates or joint-ventures/ platforms we offer distinctive investment expertise for institutional and private clients (Germany) in selected real estate, infrastructure and natural resources sectors. Bouwfonds IM manages a portfolio with a total value of € 6 billion and has local offices in the Netherlands, Germany, France, Poland and Romania.

CBRE Global Investors is a leading global real estate investment manager with USD 75.2 billion in assets under management*. The company sponsors investment programmes across the risk/return spectrum for investors worldwide.

The CBRE Global Investors EMEA platform, with €27.7 billion of AUM* is one of the largest and most diversified real estate investment management business. The platform has 14 offices in 14 countries, managing investments in 17 countries across Europe.

We are the largest private owner of retail with EUR 14.1 billion AUM*  in Europe, which includes over 70 shopping centres and a strong network of 70+ retail professionals. The company is a pan-European operator with local retail knowledge for sourcing off market transactions and executing complex property level strategies which has helped build a long term outperformance track record.

*As per 30 September 2015

Christmasworld – Seasonal Decoration at its best – is the leading international trade fair for festive decorations. Exhibitors from all over the world present the latest trends and products for all festive occasions of the year – including innovative concepts for decorating large spaces and outdoor areas, such as shopping centers – in Frankfurt am Main from 26 January to 30 January 2018.

Cineplexx Kinobetriebe GmbH was founded in 1993 as a 100% subsidiary of Constantin Film-Holding GmbH which belongs to the Austrian family Langhammer. Cineplexx emerged in the transition phase during the 1990s when traditional cinemas were closed and multiplex cinemas entered the market. Since 2008 the group has bundled its international business activities under Cineplexx International ltd. in joint venture with Christof Papousek and his LCP ltd. In total it runs 47 cinemas with 301 screens across Austria, Slovenia, Croatia, Serbia, Montenegro, Mazedonia/FYROM, Albania, Greece and Northern Italy. Total sales reached 125 Mio. Euro in 2015 with about 1.300 employees.

Launched in 2012, Completely Retail Marketplace is organised and staged by The Completely Group and is regarded by industry insiders as the most effective event in the retail calendar. The events take place each year in the UK, Ireland, Amsterdam and now Stockholm. They have grown rapidly over that time, with uptake in stands and delegate numbers more than doubling. The events focus on the retail sector of the property market and bring retailers, landlords and agents together to meet and do business.

dfv Conference Group, the event arm of dfv Media Group, develops, organizes and produces executive-level conferences and conventions across a wide range of sectors and themes. As a relationship manager, it turns media and information into a hands-on experience fostering professional exchange and networking throughout the business community. The majority of the delegates attending its events come from senior management and other top-ranking corporate positions.

ECE has been developing, building, leasing out, and managing shopping centers since 1965 and is active in 14 countries. The company is European market leader with 199 managed shopping centers. On an overall sales area of 7.3 million sq m, about 21,000 retail businesses generate 24 billion euros in annual sales. Numerous shopping centers are currently under construction or planned throughout Europe.

Echo Investment is the biggest Polish developer carrying out investments in three main sectors of the real estate market: residential buildings, shopping centres and office buildings. Since 1996, it has been listed on the Warsaw Stock Exchange. The company has completed over 120 projects in dozens Polish cities, with a total area of close to 1,300,000 sq m. In 2015, Echo Investment SA joined the dynamically developing capital group of Griffin Real Estate – Oaktree – PIMCO.

EHI is the scientific institute of the German retail industry. The members of EHI include German and international retail companies and their industry associations, manufacturers of consumer and investment goods and various service providers for retail like real estate developers and shopping-center management firms. We research topics relevant to the future of retailing, organize conferences and working groups, operate our own publishing house (e.g. The EHI Shopping-Center Report), and are partners to Messe Düsseldorf in staging the EuroShop, the world’s biggest trade fair of investment goods for retail business.

ESP. Design Studios is an Architectural, Interior and Brand Design firm that combines storytelling with well-founded retail and entertainment expertise to create places as experiences. We mix functions and economics with compelling stories of the place and people to develop an original and unique design true to the location and lifestyle. There are plenty of stories to tell. Say hello to ESP.

EUROVEA mixed-use-development and is a part of the modern urban quarter in the vicinity of the historical center of Bratislava and represents an entirely unique and dynamic destination with riverside promenade. Eurovea broader patterns of living, working and shopping as it provides the sort of downtown, high street shopping experience which the city doesn’t offer now.

FREO is a private equity company and a fund manager specializing in the acquisition and development of commercial real estate in Germany and select international gateway cities in Europe. The FREO Group pursues a range of real estate investments that offer opportunities for highly attractive risk-adjusted returns, whether through its private equity funds subscribed by leading international institutional investors, direct investment and co-investment with joint venture partners. As well as delivering prudent management, co-investment partners of FREO apply their proven hands-on operating expertise to each investment. Under the Group umbrella, experienced professionals work on all stages of an investment, identifying opportunities and creating value through proactive management. The FREO Group headquarters is in Luxembourg with additional offices in Germany, France, Spain, Switzerland, UK and the USA.

Futureal is one of the top real estate developers in Europe, with investments in Hungary, Poland and Romania. It is a family run company, which expanded into property in 2003. Futureal is active in the field of retail, office and residential development. They currently employ more than 200 real estate professionals, with over €900 millions’ worth of property already developed on 700,000 sqm.

The German Council of Shopping Centers, GCSC, represents the interests of over 770 member companies in the shopping center and commercial real estate industry, including operators and developers, trade representatives, service providers, consultants, investors, and other companies.

GfK GeoMarketing is one of Europe’s largest providers of geomarketing services and products. Our business areas include: Consultancy and research expertise, Market data, Digital maps, RegioGraph. GfK GeoMarketing is a subsidiary of GfK, one of the world’s largest and most renowned market research companies. Drawing on this international network of wide-ranging resources and expertise, GfK GeoMarketing promotes business success and “growth from knowledge”.

The GRI is a global club of senior real estate investors, developers and lenders. Its mission is to help its members build personal relationships and work together in creating rewarding opportunities. The GRI runs its activities through a collection of annual meetings focussed on different regions of the world since 1998. If building close relationships with the driving elite of the real estate industry at the most senior levels can be useful, we welcome you to join us.

Due to 30 years of experience, Heuer Dialog is the market specialist in real estate-, construction- and finance-congresses focusing the latest development of cities and real estates. It provides networking conferences throughout Germany. The topics and the selection of speakers are based on the latest developments, the practical use and the interchange with the best experts. Our conferences are platforms for communication and networking and can be used to reach the goal of client relationship and client acquisition as well as being informed about the actual state of affairs concerning different real estate topics. The company is based in Duesseldorf, Germany. As of 2008, Heuer Dialog operates as a subsidiary of Immobilien Zeitung Verlagsgesellschaft mbH with a branch office in Wiesbaden, Germany.

The International Council of Shopping Centers is the global not-for-profit trade association for the shopping centre industry with over 60,000 members from more than 80 countries worldwide. Our members include Owners / Developers, Retailers, Investors, Architects, Shopping centre managers, Retail consultants and other real estate professionals.

IKEA Centres is IKEA Group’s global shopping centre company. Together with IKEA stores and our tenants, we create inspiring and family friendly meeting places for the many people. We are active in 15 countries, with a total of 43 shopping centres, 25 retail parks and 20 projects in the pipeline across China, Croatia, Czech Republic, Finland, France, Germany, Italy, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Russia, Slovakia, Spain, Sweden and Switzerland.

iMallinvest Europe GmbH is an independent and dedicated retail asset management advisory firm. The company advices investors and developers of modern shopping destinations in their acquisition and disposal programs, incl. asset specific, strategic business planning and comprehensive restructuring projects. iMallinvest is specialised in advising alongside variant forms of international real estate investment partnerships. Its core markets are Germany and Austria.

The IMMOFINANZ Group is one of the five largest listed property companies in Europe. The company comprises 1,678 standing investments with a carrying amount of approx. EUR 8.5 billion. The core business of IMMOFINANZ covers the acquisition and management of investment properties, the realisation of development projects and the sale of objects in the retail, office, logistics and residential segments. More: www.immofinanz.com

intu is the leading owner, developer and manager of prime regional shopping centres in the UK.

A FTSE 100 company, intu owns and operates many of the UK’s biggest and most popular retail and leisure destinations, including nine of the top 20, incorporating super-regional centres such as intu Trafford Centre, intu Lakeside and intu Metrocentre, together with a number of city centre locations from Watford to Newcastle.

intu also has a growing presence in the Spanish market, owning two of Spain’s top 10 centres: intu Asturias in Oviedo, and Puerto Venecia in Zaragoza. intu has also acquired land near Malaga for shopping resort intu Costa del Sol, with development options on a further three sites in Palma, Valencia and Vigo.

Building upon years of international experience in retail and extensive location expertise for many CEE/SEE countries as well as Austria and Germany, Kundörfer Consulting advises its customers on all retail expansion and retail property questions. Targeting retailers and companies active in the real estate market, Kundörfer Consulting offers both solutions for strategic issues and their implementation.

MAPIC is the key meeting point for retailers looking for partners, and property developers and owners looking for retailers to enhance their sites. MAPIC delivers 3 days of tailored meetings, expert-led conferences and a premium exhibition for industry leaders targeting all types of retail property: shopping centers, cities, factory outlets, leisure areas and transit zones.

MAPIC 2017, November 15-17, Palais des Festivals, Cannes, France.

MAPIC Italy is a deal making event dedicated to the Italian Retail & Real Estate market. It will gather together Italian and international retailers and investors looking for retail properties & locations to expand their business in the Italian market. Retail property owners, Shopping centres management companies and agents will have a unique opportunity to present their assets to a qualified public of clients and prospects.

McArthurGlen Group, Europe’s leading owner, developer and manager of designer outlets, was founded in Europe by Kaempfer Partners in 1993. The pioneer of designer outlet retailing in the European region, McArthurGlen has since developed 600,000 sq metres (6.5 million sq ft) of outlet space. The company currently manages 22 McArthurGlen Designer Outlets across 9 countries: Austria, Belgium, Canada, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, the Netherlands and the UK. The centres are home to the most sought-after luxury and premium brands, and offer fashion-savvy customers year-round savings in vibrant, high-quality shopping environments.

MEC METRO-ECE Centermanagement GmbH & Co. KG is a joint venture between the METRO GROUP Wholesale & Food Specialist Company and ECE. MEC is responsible for integrated management, including commercial and technical property management, local center management, the letting and marketing of a total of 50 retail parks and hybrid malls in Germany at the moment. All of the centers, with approximately 1.000 tenants, generate a yearly turnover of € 3.1 billion on a rental space of 1.45 million sq m. Over 180 employees work for MEC, whose company headquarters are in Düsseldorf.

Messe Frankfurt is one of the world’s leading trade fair organisers. 592,127 square metres of exhibition ground are currently home to ten exhibition halls and two congress centres. Events “made by Messe Frankfurt” take place at approx. 50 locations around the globe and cover the fields of consumer goods, textiles & textile technologies, technology & production, mobility & logistics and entertainment, media & creative industries.

MIPIM, the premier real estate event, gathers the most influential players from all sectors of the international property industry for four days of networking, learning and transaction through premium events, conferences and dedicated exhibition zones.

MIPIM 2018, March 13-16, Palais des Festivals, Cannes, France.

At MK Illumination we aspire to create exceptional conceptual festive lighting for our partners. Our commitment to design, innovation, technical excellence and sustainable solutions coupled with our local knowledge and a global outlook allows us to create tailored, specially handcrafted illumination to suit our client’s exact wishes and thus strengthen their brand and image. In keeping with its philosophy of being a regional company with a global reach, MK Illumination maintains independently run subsidiaries in 28 countries, allowing each business to benefit from local knowledge, customs and networking. The company provides a comprehensive service in three main areas: Retail Real Estate, Leisure and Public Spaces. We have a passion for enlightening your vision! For further information, visit us at: www.mk-illumination.com

Quartier du Flon is mainly a pedestrian city center district covering 55’000 sq m, with an annual footfall of over 7 million visitors, and belonging to a single owner: Mobimo Management SA, one of the leading swiss Real Estate companies. Quartier du Flon is centrally managed by a district management team aiming to offer the very best to its clients and visitors throughout the year. Commercialization, marketing, safety, cleanliness as well as event promotion are the district management’s main goals.

Multi is a leading owner, manager and (re)developer of high quality shopping centres across Europe and Turkey. As an well-capitalized, growth-oriented, pan-European retail platform Multi is focused on creating, managing and improving sustainable rental income. Multi projects act as a catalyst for economic growth and social development of the cities and regions in which they are developed. Since its foundation in 1982, Multi has played an active role in the development of more than 180 projects, and currently owns and/or manages over 130 shopping centres. Multi operates in 13 countries, including the Netherlands, where it is headquartered, and Belgium, the Czech Republic, Germany, Italy, Latvia, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Spain, Ukraine, the UK and Turkey. More info on: www.multi.eu

Founded in 1969, NEINVER is a leading international property company specialized in managing the entire property cycle of its projects. With operations in France, Germany, Italy, Poland, Portugal, Spain, the Netherlands and the Czech Republic, NEINVER has bolstered its position in the European retail property sector, managing 25 centres, 613,000 sq m of GLA, 2,000 store locations and 1,000 of the finest brands. For more than 20 years, NEINVER’s growth strategy has been based on specialisation in the outlet sector, through its brands The Style Outlets and FACTORY. It currently manages 18 centres with a total GLA of 368,700 sq m, and is the only outlet operator with an omnichannel strategy.

With its 70+ shops, the Parndorf Fashion Outlet offers more than 100 fashion and lifestyle brands in a retail space of over 20,000 sq m. Currently the center is undergoing a redesign to reflect the Viennese art nouveau style. All frontages will be redesigned in 2017 and interconnected. There will be 15 new shops with a total sales area of 3,000 sq m. In 2018, the Center will be increased to 30,000 sq m – and the new design completed. The Parndorf Fashion Outlet is on the A4 east motorway and can be reached from the centre of Vienna in 30 minutes. Find more  on facebook.com/ParndorfFashionOutlet.

Redevco is an independent, pan-European real estate investment management company specialised in retail property. The 400 assets under management are spread across the strongest retail concentrations throughout Europe. Our highly-experienced professionals purchase, develop, let and manage properties, ensuring that the portfolios optimally reflect the needs of our clients. We believe in long term investments where quality and sustainability are key.

SES – No. 1 in Austria and Slovenia – is specialized in developing, constructing and managing first-class retail real estate at an international level. The company provides complete service from development to center management in Central, Southern and Eastern Europe. Shopping malls managed by SES are among the very best the industry has to offer.

With more than 6 billion euros in real estate assets and over 3 billion in revenue generated by retail shareholdings, SIGNA established itself as one of Europe’s leading companies in this industry within the first 16 years since its foundation. The group comprises two central core business sectors: SIGNA Real Estate and SIGNA Retail.

SIX Payment Services offers financial institutions and merchants secure, innovative services along the entire value chain of cashless payments. Our tailor-made solutions include settlement of domestic and international payments by credit, debit, and prepaid card. One of Europe’s largest card transaction processors and market leader in Switzerland, Austria, and Luxembourg, SIX Payment Services ensures that card-based payments in Switzerland and abroad are both accepted and processed.
With around 1,200 employees and 15 locations worldwide, SIX Payment Services supports clients in 33 different countries. In Austria SIX Payment Services uses PayLife as product and service brand for its comprehensive credit card and prepaid card portfolio.

We specialize in fulfilling the marketing and communication needs of retail and commercial real estate. Our spectrum includes pro­­j­ect development services as well as drafting and implementation of marketing and communications for operational properties. Our goal is to turn retail locations into strong and appealing regional brands.

Sonae Sierra is an international retail real estate company dedicated to serving the needs of investors. We develop and invest in sustainable retail assets and provide investment, development and property management services for clients in geographies as diverse as Europe, South America, North Africa and Asia, while creating shared value for our business and society.

TH Real Estate, an operating division of TIAA Global Asset Management, is one of the largest real estate investment managers in the world with $97bn in AUM. Managing a suite of nearly 80 funds and mandates spanning both debt and equity across diverse geographies, sectors, investment styles and vehicle types, the firm provides access to every aspect of real estate investing. With offices in 18 cities throughout the US, Europe and Asia Pacific, over 450 professionals and 60 years of investing experience, the platform offers deep local expertise coupled with a sophisticated global perspective. TH Real Estate’s investment, asset management and corporate strategies grow from a deep understanding of the structural trends that will shape the future of real estate and responsible investing beyond market cycles. This ‘Tomorrow’s World’ approach sits at the core of our investment process and business operations, informing our long-term view of real estate investments for the enduring benefit of both clients and society.

theleisureway is a company dedicated to the creation of leisure experiences that are unique, innovative and different, tailor-made for your centre and with the sole mission of satisfying your customers when they visit to make sure they come back. Our work begins when our client aims to turn, or even restructure, a space into a place for leisure. We provide a complete and detailed service, from the idea to the opening, including the study, budget, organization, team, materials and building. Our solution is made in the client measure, designed exclusively according to customer needs.

TREC Real Estate Consulting GmbH – as an affiliated company of the audit and tax consultancy firm CroweHorwath Trinavis – is a specialized real estate consultancy and investment boutique with a clear focus on services for management properties in the retail and hospitality sector. With a unique know-how and a pan-European network acquired over many years of professional practice, TREC’s service range reaches from commercial property management for shopping centers and retail parks, strategic advice and support for asset management and transactions to set-up of investment/financing structures and corporate services for family offices and institutional investors.

TriGranit is one of the largest fully integrated, privately owned, real estate platforms in Central Europe, focusing primarily on quality retail and Class “A” office buildings in strategic urban locations. TriGranit conducts a full spectrum of real estate activities including acquisition, development, construction, and as property and asset management. In its two decades of operation, TriGranit has developed nearly 50 landmark projects creating 1 million square meters of GLA in 7 CEE countries and has won more than 40 highly prestigious international awards.

The Umdasch Shopfitting Group is a leading European shopfitting company with a global radius of action. It sees as a multi-specialist in designing worlds of experience for retailers in the following sectors: Lifestyle Retail, Food Retail, Premium Retail and Digital Retail.

The Umdasch Shop Academy is a training ground for retail professionals. Four formats make them fit for the POS: seminars, shop expeditions and Retail Secret Tours.

Union Investment is a leading international investment company specializing in open ended real estate funds for private and institutional investors. Union Investment has assets under management of some €28.5 billion in ten real estate funds. Active in the property investment business for more than 50 years, Union Investment operates today in 24 countries around the world. In addition to office space and business parks, the Hamburg-based company is investing in business hotels, logistics properties and shopping centers. Union Investment entered the retail sector at an early stage, allowing the company to secure a strategic position in this growing area. The result is a high-quality portfolio presently comprising 46 shopping centers in Germany, Austria, Sweden, Belgium, France, Poland, Czech Republic, Italy, Spain and Turkey, with a current market value of some €7.4 billion.

WISAG Facility Service Holding’s core line of business is the provision of technical and infrastructural services form commercial, infrastructural and residential properties and for healthcare and social services institutions. The service divisions are: Facility Management, Building Engineering, Commercial Cleaning, Security & Service, Catering, Garden & Landscaping Services, and Consulting & Management. One of the company’s specific traits is its high level of insourced services, which has been almost 90 per cent for many years. With around 17,000 clients, 30,000 employees and turnover of 852 million in 2014, the property specialist is one of Germany’s leading providers of facility services.