management

Effective 1 April, Dr. Philipp Andrée, previously CCO of the Douglas Group, will become a new member of the Otto Group’s Executive Board. He succeeds Sergio Bucher who is retiring from the Executive Board, but who will continue to contribute his expertise as a member of the Otto Group’s Supervisory Board.

ambas Real Estate GmbH is strengthening its leadership structure and expanding its service offering to include commercial real estate finance services. Effective January 1st, 2026, the company has appointed Günter Kaufmann, an internationally experienced executive and recognized expert in real estate finance, as Managing Partner.

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.

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.

Starting from January 1, 2026, HBB Centermanagement GmbH & Co. KG will take over both the center and leasing management for LOOP5 in Weiterstadt, Germany. The center management company has already been supporting the shopping center’s leasing activities since early September this year.

Kering and L’Oréal announced today that they are entering a long-term strategic partnership in luxury beauty and wellness. This binding agreement encompasses the acquisition of the House of Creed by L’Oréal, the beauty and fragrance licenses of iconic Houses of Kering and an exclusive venture to explore business opportunities in the field of wellness and longevity.

Deka Immobilien has appointed HBB Centermanagement GmbH & Co. KG to handle center management, including commercial and technical property management as well as leasing management, for two of its shopping centers: the Nedderfeld Center in Hamburg and the Alleen Center in Trier. The handover will take place on January 1, 2026.

VIA Outlets, owner-operator of 11 premium fashion outlet centres across Europe, is proud to announce its exceptional results in the 2025 GRESB Real Estate Sustainability Benchmark report. Not only has the group reached its highest ever score of 98/100, but it also achieved a 5-Star rating for the sixth consecutive year and was placed 1st in the ‘European Retail’ category.

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.

Christine Hager has been appointed to the management board of Sierra Germany GmbH with immediate effect, succeeding Jorge Morgadinho. A seasoned executive and real estate expert, Hager has been part of the leadership team since Sonae Sierra took over the property management division in 2022, and she reports directly to the executive board of Sonae Sierra in Portugal.

Rüdiger Dany, CEO of NEPI Rockcastle, the leading owner, operator and developer of shopping centers across Central and Eastern European markets and the third largest listed retail real estate company in Europe by value of assets, is leaving his position in March 2026.

After a successful and dedicated period as Chief Investment Officer, Martin Brühl resigned from his position at Union Investment Real Estate GmbH on April 4, 2025.

Frasers Group has reportedly emerged as the frontrunner to acquire struggling British luxury department store Harvey Nichols, as the retailer seeks a deal to secure its future.

Aareal Bank has arranged a €128 million top-up facility for Lighthouse Properties to refinance and expand the financing of its Spanish retail portfolio.

Kaufland has reportedly acquired the Galeria property adjoining the Rhein-Neckar-Zentrum in Viernheim. The reported transaction could change the plans for the site, where sister company Lidl had previously announced a new store.

Greek retail real estate investor Trade Estates has agreed to acquire a 50% stake in Sofia South Ring Mall in Bulgaria for €49.35 million.

NEPI Rockcastle has secured a €250 million green term loan from the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, providing long-term financing for green investments across its Central and Eastern European portfolio.

Bath and Body Works is also set to open its first South West store after signing at Cribbs

BWP Group has been appointed to deliver the integrated marketing remit for Frasers Plus Designer Outlet East Midlands.

This year, the ACSP Congress 2026 installed by the Austrian Council of Shopping Places (ACSP) is returning to Vienna in October, with a special focus on experiential and entertainment offerings.

Time Out Market will open its first London location in 2028, transforming a landmark building at Piccadilly Circus into the global flagship of its growing food hall portfolio. The project underlines the increasing role of food, culture and entertainment in shaping successful urban destinations.

In his new book Culture Stores, Ibrahim Ibrahim and Koral Ibrahim argue that the future of physical retail lies not in transactions, but in creating places where people connect, participate and belong.

F&B concepts that redefine placemaking — and why developers cannot ignore them anymore.

Rather than opening new locations, Cuisyn and Haus der Bäcker are preserving restaurants and bakeries without succession plans. Their acquisition model safeguards jobs, local identity, and vibrant city centers.

Homeira Amiri, co-founder of the think tank Future of the Guest Economy explores, how F&B is reshaping the value logic of shopping centers.

CC Real has taken over the management of Avenue Mall Zagreb, further expanding its shopping center management platform in Croatia and highlighting the growing importance of specialized asset and property management across Central and Southeastern Europe.

BIG Poland adds the 11,000 sqm Grodzisk Sfera Park retail park to its portfolio, marking its second asset in the Mazovia region and bringing total GLA to nearly 258,000 sqm.

Umdasch Group appoints Dr. Christian Herbinger as CEO of its store construction division, succeeding Silvio Kirchmair effective January 2027.

Transaction represents largest acquisition in Couche-Tard history and establishes controlling position in one of Europe’s leading convenience and digital retail platforms.

Lindt will open a 330-square-meter flagship boutique at Westfield Hamburg-Überseequartier in Q4 2026.

With her international expertise in procurement, private label and assortment strategy, she brings valuable input for BBE’s clients and for the company’s strategic development.

Norges Bank Investment Management and Sonae Sierra have formed a joint venture, which has signed an agreement to acquire eight shopping centers in Spain, comprising more than 250,000 sqm of gross leasable area and a gross value of approximately EUR 1.5 billion.

CACI found through its spend data that consumers are increasingly trading down from traditional restaurants in favor of coffee shops and food-to-go concepts, as ongoing cost pressures continue to shape spending habits.

CECONOMY grew nine-month sales to €18.4 billion and adjusted EBIT to €342 million, driven by online growth and a summer AC boom.

Following store projects across Germany, Roermond, and London, Schwitzke & Partner is supporting Kapten & Son’s European expansion with a new store on Amsterdam’s Kalverstraat.

Gránit Pólus Group has closed a €290 million green loan agreement to refinance the Westend complex, marking Hungary’s largest real estate refinancing transaction in five years.