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ACROSS

Search Results for: retail real estate – Page 24

© ECE

ECE to expand Management Board

ECE Marketplaces is reshaping its executive leadership: Effective 1 January 2026, Jan Lorenz will join the management board of the shopping center operator. In addition, Robert Heinemann will transfer from ECE Group Services to ECE Marketplaces in his role as Managing Director.

Industry leaders at the ACROSS Retail Talk. Clockwise, from top left: Reinhard Winiwarter (ACROSS), Thomas Reichenauer (ROS Retail Outlet Shopping / FREY Group), Cristina Santos (Sonae Sierra), Marek Noetzel (NEPI Rockcastle), Klaus Striebich (RaRE Advise) and Avi Alkaş (Alkaş & HAN Spaces)

Placemaking in 2026: The New Value

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.

Credits /// Left: Designer Outlets Wolfsburg Right: ART Software

The Value of Partnership: The new Landlord-Tenant-Tech Alliance

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.

Westfield London /// Credit: Richard Hanson

Westfield London and Westfield Hamburg-Überseequartier win awards at MAPIC 2025

Unibail-Rodamco-Westfield (URW) has been awarded two times at MAPIC 2025, Europe’s most prestigious retail real estate show, held each year in Cannes, France. Westfield Hamburg-Überseequartier won Best Urban Regeneration Project and Westfield London was named the Most Influential Retail Property Project of the past 30 years.

From left to right: BIG Andrychow, BIG FASHION Novi Sad, Big Čačak /// Credit: BIG CEE

THINKING BIG: FROM THE BALKANS TO POLAND

BIG Shopping Centers Ltd. was founded in 1994 and has grown from a local property developer into a global real estate group with operations in Israel, the Balkans, and Central and Eastern Europe. Today, the company is valued at approximately €4.45 billion on the TASE and holds nearly 90% of AFI Properties Ltd., extending its reach to seven countries and more than 1.38 million sqm of leasable space. Its portfolio includes open-air shopping centers, malls, outlets, offices, and even renewable energy, with a consistent focus on creating long-term value through brand strength and operational excellence.

Credit: HyperIn

FROM EXPERIENCES TO INSIGHTS, FROM INSIGHTS TO GROWTH: THE MODERNCRE ALGORITHM

Commercial advantage belongs to those who move with insight, not instinct: As much of Europe’s real estate market cools, the Nordics are bucking the trend, driving growth not through location alone, but by redefining value around experience, insight, and resilience. A new framework, the “Modern CRE Algorithm”, shows how smartly designed tenant experiences and data-driven intelligence are turning properties into thriving ecosystems.

Credit /// Left: ambas; Right: Union Investment

M&A, EXPANSION, AND RESILIENCE: THE FORCES SHAPING EUROPE’S SHOPPING DESTINATIONS

In the retail real estate sector, bold moves are reshaping the European landscape. Recent landmark transactions, including FREY/ROS, Sonae Sierra, and Unibail-Rodamco-Westfield, signal the start of a new investment cycle. At the same time, several companies are embarking on remarkable expansion journeys, positioning themselves for long-term growth. In this interview, Steffen Hofmann, Managing Partner at ambas, explains why now is the right moment to “think big”, what drives corporate M&A strategies in retail, and how these shifts are redefining market opportunities across Europe.

Credit: ROS

THE RISE OF THE VILLAGE-STYLE OUTLET

Designer outlet shopping is no longer considered a niche retail format. It has become a resilient growth story within the global retail real estate sector. Combining premium brands with guaranteed year-round value – outlets typically offer 30–70% savings on merchandise – drawing in shoppers who are increasingly value-conscious but still aspire to purchase luxury and lifestyle labels.

Credit: Placewise

A NEW TENANT MINDSET: EMPOWERING TENANTS THROUGH SHARED DIGITAL INFRASTRUCTURE

Retail real estate is at a tipping point. The era of simply leasing square meters is over. Tenants now expect digital tools, shared data, and strategic collaboration from their landlords. Forward-thinking center managers are stepping up, transforming from space providers into performance partners. Those who embrace this shift aren’t just keeping tenants – they’re attracting the next wave of retail innovators.

Credit: FREY

FROM PROMENADES TO OUTLETS: FREY’S BOLD PATH TO MARKET LEADERSHIP

FREY Group has transformed the retail landscape with its open-air Shopping Promenades, and now it is venturing boldly into the outlet sector. In this exclusive interview, Chairman & CEO Antoine Frey explains why the acquisition of ROS was pivotal, how cultural placemaking and B Corp sustainability guide the company’s vision, and why projects like Malmö Designer Village and Designer Outlet Berlin are setting new standards across Europe.

credit: MEC

“IF YOU WANT TO SHAPE THE FUTURE, YOU HAVE TO UNDERSTAND THE PRACTICAL SIDE OF THINGS”

MEC’s new Business & Project Development department underscores its commitment to the future of retail real estate. Instead of pure administration, the focus is now on holistic location development – strategic, practical, and market-oriented. Head of the unit, Jörg Wege, explains how vision meets everyday business, why hands-on expertise matters, and how this drives MEC’s growth.

credit: SES

Strong Partnerships require a Paradigm Shift in Thinking

The world of retail real estate is revolving faster than ever before: Consumer behavior is changing rapidly, brands are disappearing overnight, and digitalization and shifting values are forcing us to rethink the way we do things. In order to survive, you need more than just square footage; you need a deep understanding of retailers, customers, and social developments. That is why Spar and SES are committed to building genuine partnerships – on an equal footing, with flexibility, innovative strength, and shared responsibility for success.

credit: ECE

„CHANGE IS IN OUR DNA”

Innovation and the safeguarding of future success require conviction and values – ECE celebrates its 60th anniversary in 2025. This is more than just an anniversary: It is a commitment to continuous change and responsible business practices. ECE Marketplaces CEO Joanna Fisher, who has been with the company for nearly three decades, discusses the power of putting values into practice, her own journey from a working student to a top manager, and how true innovation can only be achieved through integrity and clarity.

CEO PERSPECTIVES 2025: WHEN THE TENANT THRIVERS, THE ASSET FLIES

“When the tenant thrives, the asset survives” is an old saying in retail real estate leasing management. But survival is only the baseline – the ambition must go further. Not just to “survive” – the asset should “fly.” But what will it take in 2025 for an asset to take off? For this cover story, we asked leading figures in the European retail real estate sector what they see as the most significant current challenges, as well as the solutions needed, for retail assets not just to survive but to prosper.

The Final Chapter of the European Shopping Places Trust: A Legacy of Education, Research, and Empowerment

In 2025, after more than a quarter of a century of dedicated service to Europe’s retail real estate community, the European Shopping Places Trust (ESPT) will close its books. For the professionals, students, researchers, and industry leaders touched by its work, this moment is less an ending than a milestone. This is a chance to reflect on what has been achieved and the legacy that will endure.