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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.

Well deserved honor: Rüdiger Dany, CEO of NEPI Rockcastle, received the lifetime achievement award at the prestigious 19th SEE Property Awards. This prize recognizes and celebrates Rüdiger Dany’s incredible 30-year career and his invaluable contribution to the real estate industry. In 2024, he continued to write his personal success story and that of NEPI Rockcastle. Probably no other company performed as well as NEPI in 2024. Reason enough to talk to Rüdiger Dany about the highlights of his company as well as current developments and challenges.

Over the past decade, the retail landscape has undergone a seismic transformation redefining the very essence of the sector. Customers’ expectations of convenience, personalization, experience, community, and sustainability have changed dramatically. The purpose of physical stores is being redefined, with goods and products taking a backseat to experiences. Today, successful retail destinations are those that cultivate connection, joy, and community.

Exciting new leasing partners and new openings further cement Eurovea’s position as the most innovative and highest-quality shopping center in Bratislava. In an interview with ACROSS, Leasing Manager Katarina Paule talks about what it takes to prevail in a competitive market like Bratislava, why Eurovea offers the ideal market entry, why F&B and leisure, in particular, are influenced by the entire Eurovea City, and why it’s ultimately all about the community.

“Across all markets, we are seeing that retail has remained a resilient and thriving sector,” explains Cristina Santos, Executive Director Property Management at Sonae Sierra. More than almost any other European company, Sonae Sierra is strategically diversified across several regions and adapts to the specific requirements of each. The company has extensive experience with its own properties and has increasingly used that knowledge as a cornerstone of its approach to manage third-party properties.

Retail is polarizing towards the absolute top locations, among them metropolitan locations, and A-cities. There are many cases proving this but there are also exceptions – and not just any, but successful exceptions. The recent DeepTalk online-discussion took a closer look at one such exception and looked a little behind the letting and positioning strategies of the Europa-Galerie Saarbrücken in Germany, one of the outstanding best-practice examples.

The shopping habits of Europeans are undergoing significant changes, which in turn are reshaping the retail landscape. While some countries continue to focus on large-scale shopping centers, other regions are making substantial progress, reveals RegioData’s latest report. A look at the current shopping center density in Europe reveals a pronounced north-south and west-east divide. Even within individual regions, there are significant differences in retail space density per capita.

The disposable income gap between Central and Eastern Europe’s (CEE) economies, which are enjoying solid economic expansion, and stagnating Western European countries is narrowing fast. This is buoying consumer spending in markets like Poland and Romania and attracting international and regional retailers to large modern shopping centers that dominate the CEE’s shopping and experience landscapes, while also offering higher margins and lower costs, NEPI Rockcastle’s latest ‘White Paper for Growth’ research concludes.

Architecture, service, offerings, technology, and sustainability—these are the key elements of consumer needs-related projects. Fiba Commercial Properties explains how these aspects are properly implemented and integrated and, in the end, deliver a unique, captivating experience that goes beyond what traditional retail developments offer.

Austria’s largest and most diverse shopping and entertainment destination expands its already impressive lineup of brands and tenants, bringing renowned global brands to Vösendorf. The center celebrates several brand debuts in Austria, including the country’s first adidas monobrand store, which, alongside New Balance, enhances the activewear offering as new partners. In premium fashion, Joop!, Scotch & Soda, Rinascimento, and Brax add variety and distinction.

ACREM is the mall management company behind TEG (Tirana East Gate). The shopping center in Albania set a completely new standard regarding professionalism and efficiency, resulting in the Albanians not having to hide behind the Western industry giants in terms of footfall and catchment areas. ACROSS Management Director Reinhard Winiwarter discussed with Elda Hysenbelli, CEO at ACREM, and Joana Korimi, Head of Marketing at ACREM, what mall management and marketing à la TEG looks like, what their customers demand, and why some customers feel so comfortable in the center that they even get married there.

“We need something that is consistent between retailer, operator, landlord and investor, and can be the key behind every decision, and shopping experience is the obvious answer.” Our latest Retail Talk, “Uncovering the REAL Issues, Problems and Challenges of Retail Real Estate”, revealed that many of the retail industry’s current issues can only be tackled if first we solve the problems that stem from within, as skills such as leadership, fast adaptability to the changing market environment, courage, as well as mutual understanding during the decision-making process are necessary yet barely present in the industry.

At the Global RLI Awards 2024, where leading projects from Asia, Europe and the Middle East compete, Fiba CP achieved another great success in London by being awarded the ‘Highly Commended’ award in the ‘International Shopping Center Renovation’ category with İnegöl Shopping Center. In addition to İnegöl Shopping Mall, Downtown Bursa Life and Entertainment Center also received an award in the ‘International Retail and Entertainment Destination’ category.

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.