Albania’s retail market is evolving at unprecedented speed. As CEO of ACREM, Mariola Kuçi heads one of BALFIN Group’s key companies, operating in Albania and North Macedonia and driving the modernization of commercial real estate and retail standards. Under her leadership, ACREM has established itself as Albania’s leading commercial property management company, while also contributing expertise for BALFIN Group’s other assets such as East Gate Mall in North Macedonia, among the region’s landmark retail destinations.
In Asia’s megacities, building upward is not a choice but a necessity – and shopping centers have turned this constraint into a strength. Liliya Shaykhutdinova analyses how leading Asian vertical malls successfully drive footfall across multiple levels, and explores which of these principles can inspire European multi-storey malls to rethink circulation, tenant mix and upper-floor relevance.
With a stable footfall, successful leasing activity and consistent developments, Berlin’s Gropius Passagen concludes a truly successful year this December – with plans already in motion to achieve strategic goals in 2026.
As consumer priorities shift and brands reassess their physical retail strategies, London Designer Outlet (LDO) at Wembley shows, how location, experience and value-led retail can intersect. Matt Slade, Retail Director at Quintain, reflects on the year 2025.
With record revenues, landmark international projects and new market entries on two continents, MK Illumination demonstrates how light in public space has become an economic and social driver rather than an accessory.
The final ACROSS Retail Talk of 2025 indicates that retail enters 2026 with sharper priorities and clearer opportunities. How resilience, recalibration, and disciplined investment are setting the tone for the year ahead.
The second day of the ACROSS Study Tour led to the UAE capital Abu Dhabi where the retail landscape is in a rapid, strategically aligned transformation. Linda Hurst, General Manager of The Galleria, and Simon El Khoury, General Manager of Marina Mall, explain their business.
During the CEE Property Forum & Awards Gala held on the 25th of November in Vienna, Austria, NEPI Rockcastle has received the award for Investment Deal of the Year above €200 million for Silesia City Center, with Marek Noetzel and Tomasz Gorski accepting the award on NEPI’s behalf.
Festive celebrations are proving to be a powerful driver of retail performance, according to new analysis from CACI, the data specialists focused on people and place. The company’s latest insights reveal that Christmas light switch on events significantly boost consumer spending, increase dwell time, and attract shoppers from a wider catchment area.
One of Europe’s key outlet players, NEINVER, shares strong performance in Q3 report across its entire outlet center portfolio. Overall brand sales results show an increase of 5% compared to last year’s data.
NEINVER unveiled the new image of Las Rozas The Style Outlets, a well-established outlet centre in the northwest of Madrid and the first outlet ever developed in Spain. The €3 million refurbishment delivers a step-up in design, functionality and customer experience, while further reinforcing the appeal of the scheme for brands.
The CEE region’s leading property investment and development group, NEPI Rockcastle celebrates winning two Silver awards at the PRCH (Polish Council of Shopping Centers) Retail Awards 2025.
Today, every other shopper visiting one of the Cushman & Wakefield managed shopping centers in Spain, is a loyalty club member. Here’s how it all began.
Unibail-Rodamco-Westfield (URW) announces the inauguration of the newly rebranded Westfield Černý Most shopping centre in Prague, including an extension that introduces new shopping, dining and entertainment experiences. With more than 30 new retail and restaurant offers and an expanded, next-generation cinema experience, the destination now spans approximately 94,100 sqm of GLA and 180 units.
Westfield Shopping City Süd (SCS) demonstrates what the future of shopping centers looks like: Top international brands, nationwide store premieres, and an expanded premium segment meet a new entertainment area featuring bowling lanes, escape rooms, karaoke, and arcade games. A culinary offering ranging from iconic US burgers to French bakery artistry and Thai brunch creations is added to the mix. The result: a destination that no longer only attracts people for shopping, but brings together visitors of all generations more often, for longer, and in more diverse ways – setting new benchmarks for footfall.
Data is reshaping retail real estate: When landlords, tenants, and tech providers share insights, collaboration replaces caution. From predictive analytics to AI-driven platforms, smarter partnerships are turning fragmented spaces into connected experiences and transforming relationships into resilient growth. Gareth Jordan, Director of Retail Advantage at ART Software Group, delves into data through client insights, demonstrating how shared innovation and intelligence are essential partners for growth.
For its 30th anniversary, MAPIC awarded not only the brands and projects of the year but also the personalities, projects and brands of the last three decades.
In its 30th year, MAPIC took a more introspective turn. The fair may have felt smaller and calmer, but behind the scenes, new ideas about the future of retail and placemaking are quietly taking shape.
A special honor for Alexander Otto, CEO of the ECE Group: at this year’s MAPIC trade fair, Otto received the MAPIC Lifetime Award as a “Pioneer of Places” in recognition of his exceptional achievements and outstanding contribution to shaping and advancing the shopping center industry over the past three decades.
As Europe’s retailers and landlords head into the most decisive quarter of the year, success hinges not only on footfall, but on clarity. With up to 40% of annual revenue at stake, real-time sales collection and automated reporting have become critical tools to track performance, manage risk, and capture opportunities. From tenant health to turnover rent, automation is transforming holiday trading from a logistical scramble into a data-driven advantage.
NEPI Rockcastle is on the path to growth: Its portfolio value is over €8 billion, net operating income has risen by 12%, and occupancy rates are close to 100%. In this interview, Marek Noetzel explains how the company has achieved such results despite geopolitical uncertainties, why retail parks are thriving while mega deals are stalling, and how photovoltaic and mixed-use projects are shaping the future of retail in CEE.
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