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José Carlos Gracia

Viktor Sigl to Become Umdasch Group CFO

Viktor Sigl has joined the executive board of Umdasch Group AG as of July 1, 2026, and will take over as CFO on December 1. Sigl joined the group in April 2025 and currently serves on the management team of subsidiary Doka, overseeing finance, controlling, IT and procurement. He succeeds Gerd Pechura, 67, who will […]

From the Vatican to Rinascente: Smart Festive Lighting for Every Space, Scale and Story

The Vatican and Rinascente could hardly be more different. Yet both understand the emotional power of light: it can transform a place, move people and turn a moment into an experience. This is exactly where Twinkly Pro comes in.

With Twinkly Pro, light becomes a dynamic, individually controllable design element. Architecture, interiors and special installations can be transformed into visual experiences that attract attention, create atmosphere and bring brands and messages to life. For shopping centres, this opens up new possibilities: festive lighting becomes a stage for brands, façades become visual landmarks and interiors […]

Primark to Embrace Home Delivery in the UK

Owner Associated British Foods says Primark will add home delivery in Great Britain, supported by a newly bought automated warehouse in Sheffield.

Associated British Foods (ABF) announced that Primark will add home delivery across Great Britain, moving beyond its current click-and-collect model. To support the launch, Primark bought a heavily automated warehouse in Sheffield. No start date has been confirmed yet. Group chief George Weston said Primark’s digital tools have matured enough to make a delivery channel […]

Refield Develops New Retail Park in Łańcut, Poland

Refield has commenced the development of Pasaż Łańcucki, a new retail destination serving Łańcut and the surrounding region.

The 11,200 m2 retail park is being developed on a 3.5-hectare site on ul. Przemysłowa, adjacent to Regional Road No. 877. The project is being delivered for the local company Bispol Invest Sp. z o.o. The opening of Pasaż Łańcucki is scheduled for September 2027. Pasaż Łańcucki is another project being developed by Refield as part of […]

Same Format. Very Different Rent: The Meaning Of Location

The Hahn Retail Real Estate Report 2926/27 with CBRE’s analysis of more than 700 food stores in Germany shows that location has a far greater influence on rents than whether the tenant is a discounter, supermarket or consumer market. For discounters, the average rent difference between an A city and other locations reaches 52%.

A discounter in an A city commands an average rent of €17.02 per sqm per month. At other locations, the same type of retailer pays €11.21. That’s a difference of 52%. By comparison, the gap between the average rents of the four major food-retail formats analysed by CBRE is just €1.25 per sqm. The numbers […]

Capital is Back on the Board

After years of retreat, retail real estate is back in play. The market has been repriced, weaker assets have fallen away and investors are once again prepared to make their move. But the rules have changed: today, the strongest positions are defined by location, relevance, resilience and the ability to create value.

Is retail real estate dead? Gone? History? For an extended period, investors behaved as though the answer might be yes. Capital moved elsewhere, valuations were reset and the market entered a prolonged period of correction. What happened next was less dramatic, but more consequential: the board changed. Retail became smaller, more polarized and more transparent. […]

The Latest ACROSS Issue is Out Now — With the Latest Insights of the Industry

We are happy to announce that the latest edition of ACROSS Magazine (Issue 3/2026) is out now /// available for free download until the 24th of September.

For almost 20 years, ACROSS Magazine has been part of the European retail real estate and placemaking industry. Now it’s entering a new chapter: this issue is the first fully reworked, restructured, and redesigned edition of the magazine. The relaunch is part of a bigger ambition for ACROSS to grow into something more than a […]

Outlet Shopping at The O2 Reports Record Breaking August

Demand for shared experiences drives double-digit growth across retail and hospitality at London’s best-performing outlet.

London’s best-performing outlet, and the adjacent Entertainment District, which is home to The O2’s F&B offer, delivered their strongest-ever sales performances in August since opening in 2018.  Retail sales in the month grew by 11%, significantly ahead of the BRC’s UK average of just 0.7%, while F&B spend increased by 16% versus August 2025.  Footfall […]

German Fashion Outlet Zweibrücken Expansion Gets Green Light

Fashion Outlet can add 8,500 sqm despite years of opposition from neighboring cities

The Fashion Outlet Zweibrücken has received final approval for its long-planned expansion, allowing the center to increase its sales area from around 21,000 to up to 29,500 sqm. Around 30 additional stores are expected to be added to the existing 120-shop offer. The approval comes after years of opposition from several cities concerned about the […]

ACROSS Personality of the Year: First Award to Be Presented at MAPIC 2026

ACROSS is launching a new industry award recognizing an outstanding personality whose achievements are helping shape the future of retail real estate and placemaking. The inaugural ACROSS Personality of the Year will be presented in Cannes during THE Networking Event on November 2.

The retail real estate and placemaking industry is shaped by people who recognize opportunities, challenge established thinking, bring stakeholders together and turn ideas into successful destinations. With the ACROSS Personality of the Year Award, ACROSS is creating a new platform to recognize an individual whose contribution has made a particularly strong impact, with a focus […]

How music sets the tone for business success

Atmospheric marketing is nothing new in retail. Stores have long been designed to shape buyer mood and encourage purchases using layout, lighting, colour and other sensory cues to attract customers and create memorable interactions. Yet one of the most influential elements of any environment often receives far less attention: sound.

SPONSORED ARTICLE This has become the driving force behind a new campaign by leading audio brand Sonos exploring the measurable impact that sound can have on commercial performance. Underpinning this campaign is a scientific report titled ‘Sound for Business’ developed under the academic supervision of Professor Daniel Müllensiefen from the Institute of Systematic Musicology at […]

Lidl Opens its 13,000th Store Worldwide

Lidl opens its 13,000th store worldwide in Raunheim, Germany, marking a milestone in its international growth across 32 countries.

Lidl marked a milestone in its international history today with the official opening of its 13,000th store worldwide, located in Raunheim, Hesse. The grocery retailer is using the opening to highlight the growth of its store network, which now spans 32 countries and includes more than 3,250 locations in Germany alone. The new store, at […]

umdasch The Store Makers and Telefonica Deutschland Are Creating New Digital Accents

umdasch and Telefónica Deutschland install a refurbished LED wall at Frankfurt’s O2 Live Store, showcasing sustainable digital retail solutions.

Since 2017, umdasch The Store Makers and Telefonica Deutschland have been linked by an expanding partnership in the field of digital retail. The digital specialists at umdasch now manage around 500 locations within the German branch and partner network, supporting Telefonica in utilizing the potential of digital touchpoints in a targeted and effective manner at […]

URW’s Wroclavia awarded BREEAM ‘Outstanding’ Again

The Wroclavia shopping center has renewed its BREEAM In-Use certification, once again achieving the highest possible rating of ‘Outstanding’.

It is also one of only six properties in Poland to boast the highest rating in both parts of the BREEAM In-Use certification (Asset Performance and Management Performance). In addition, it is also one of the best results in Unibail-Rodamco-Westfield’s (URW) shopping centre portfolio across 11 countries on two continents. Wroclavia’s score has improved further […]

Decathlon Extends Lease Agreement at Vis à Vis Wilanów retail park, Warsaw

Decathlon joined the tenant mix at Vis à Vis Wilanów in 2018. After eight years at the property, the brand has decided to continue its operations at the location and extend its lease for the coming years. The 607 sqm store remains an important component of the park’s retail offer, meeting the needs of customers […]

Westfield Centro Marks 30th Anniversary in Oberhausen

Westfield Centro in Oberhausen marks 30 years since opening, with URW highlighting new store openings and an anniversary event.

Westfield Centro is celebrating three decades in business, having opened in September 1996 as the anchor of a major urban regeneration project on a former industrial site. Unibail-Rodamco-Westfield says the center has grown into one of the country’s leading shoppoing, dining and leisure destinations, drawing visitors well beyond its immediate catchment area Recent additions to […]

Victoria’s Secret to Open First Germany Flagship in Hamburg

Victoria’s Secret opens its first German flagship stre in Hamburg on September 10, taking over a prime site on Mönckenbergstraße via franchise partner PTH Group.

Victoria’s Secret is entering the German retail market with a flagship store in Hamburg, opening to VIP guests on September 9 and to the public on the 10th of September. The approximately 6,800 sq feet store will take the place of the previous Görtz unit at the corner of Mönckebergstraße and Spitalstraße, one of the […]

CBRE Appoints Mark Smith as Executive Director for European Retail Occupier Team

CBRE has appointed Mark Smith as Executive Director within its European Retail Occupier team, further enhancing its ability to deliver market-leading advice to occupier clients across Europe.

In his new role, Smith will work with Tom Dancer, CBRE’s Head of Retail Occupier for Europe, to execute the firms retail strategy, supporting globally recognised brands, many of which have pan- European expansion plans. Smith brings a strong understanding of evolving cross-border strategies, having advised clients including Adidas, PVH and ALO on flagship transactions […]

IPH Gruppe Strengthens Leasing Team

IPH Gruppe is expanding its leasing expertise with two new hires: Sarah Schwarz has taken on the role of Leasing Manager for the Rhein-Main region, while Charlotte Hillermann starts as Junior Leasing Manager at the Munich office.

Schwarz brings extensive experience in expansion and site development within food retail. Most recently, she served as Area Manager for Major City Expansion Rhein-Main at Netto Marken-Discount, where she was responsible for the Frankfurt, Offenbach, Mainz, Wiesbaden and Darmstadt regions. She previously gained real estate industry experience at Cushman & Wakefield in retail capital markets, […]

Jörg Harengerd Becomes Head of Center Management at Kintyre

With the appointment of Jörg Harengerd as Head of Center Management, Kintyre is further expanding its capabilities across retail and mixed-use assets.

Jörg brings more than 25 years of leadership experience in the strategic development, repositioning and value enhancement of complex properties. His expertise includes leasing, tenant-mix optimization, ESG and CAPEX management, as well as team and stakeholder leadership. Most recently, he held senior roles at ECE Marketplaces, where he was responsible for Europa Passage Hamburg. Earlier […]

Alfana Enters Portugal with €130 Million Deal

Spanish asset manager acquires Forum Algarve from Commerz Real.

Spanish asset manager Alfana Investment Management has acquired Forum Algarve, a shopping center in Faro, Portugal, from Commerz Real for approximately €130 million. The transaction marks Alfana’s first investment outside Spain and brings its retail assets under management to around €1 billion. Opened in 2001, Forum Algarve comprises 27,400 sqm of lettable space, 115 stores, […]

Grande Sud Shopping Park in Italy Continues Transformation

Nhood completes 18-month restyling program, adding new national and international retailers as ownership changes.

Nhood, an international real estate services operator, has completed an 18-month redevelopment program at the Grande Sud Shopping Park in Giugliano, near Naples. The project centered on reworking the tenant mix and updating the center’s layout, with a new Primark store set to open on September 8 as the final addition to the program. Nhood […]

Jan-Niklas Maas Takes Over Leadership of EUROPA-Galerie Saarbrücken, Germany

Sonae Sierra welcomes the new center manager of EUROPA-Galerie Saarbrücken.

As of September 1 experienced retail expert Jan-Niklas Maas takes over leadership of the center in downtown Saarbrücken. He succeeds Maximilian Schmid, who has served as interim center manager since November 2025 and now returns to center management at Riem Arcaden. Jan-Niklas Maas brings years of experience in the retail and textile industry. Born in […]

Union Investment Reshapes Its Real Estate Business

Germany’s Union Investment Real Estate is restructuring its organization and investment approach as it prepares for a changing real estate market environment.

Union Investment Real Estate is reorganizing its real estate platform, combining investment and asset management into a newly created Real Estate Management division. The new structure will comprise three management areas instead of four: Fund Management, Real Estate Management and Operations. Karim Esch will lead the new division, which will cover the entire real estate […]