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Jurij Triller is the CEO of Smart Octopus Solutions. Together with a co-founder, he has developed a smart gift card solution that offers a closed loop to customers and partners, unlike comparable products. He talks to ACROSS about the advantages of being independent from a major player like Visa or Mastercard, what data insights he can ensure as a result, and why personalization and customization are key.

Unibail-Rodamco-Westfield (URW) Germany is enriching the already diverse and attractive tenant and brand mix of Westfield Ruhr Park in Bochum and Palais Vest in Recklinghausen: with the sporting goods manufacturer and retailer Decathlon, another anchor partner is coming on board in both shopping centers. At Westfield Ruhr Park, Decathlon will present its extensive product range on a sales area of more than 1,000 sq m. At Palais Vest, the store will cover almost 1,000 sq m of sales area. The stores are scheduled to open in spring 2025.

Skechers has opened a new flagship store in the center of Prague, with the destination featuring an extensive offering of footwear, apparel and accessories.

Unibail-Rodamco-Westfield (URW) is once again strengthening the attractiveness of the shopping and leisure destination in North Rhine-Westphalia: for this purpose, rental areas of anchor partners are being comprehensively expanded to establish flagship formats and, at the same time, new brands are being brought on board to further diversify the product range at the center. In this context, Westfield Centro is also announcing several market entries in Germany. A number of the new partners are also placing a particular focus on sustainability in their business model.

In 2025, Nordic design and lifestyle brand ARKET continues its expansion with the opening of a flagship store in Oslo, the brand’s first physical location in Norway.

Ian Sandford, President of Eurofund Group, creates places that combine shopping, gastronomy, and leisure, ensuring that everyone finds a reason to go to a center every day. He coined the term “shopping resort” as a result. After numerous very successful projects, particularly with Puerto Venecia in Spain and Ubbo in Lisbon, he is now bringing his idea of a shopping resort to the Rhein-Ruhr Zentrum in Germany. In this interview, he explains what managers can learn from goldfish and why courage is more crucial than ever. He also shares his plans for the Rhein-Ruhr Zentrum and his other assets.