Jaap Tonckens, who joined the company as a Board Advisor in July last year, brings more than 25 years of experience from global real estate and finance sectors. He spent 11 years at URW, of which more than eight were as Group Chief Financial Officer and member of the Management Board. He worked for Morgan Stanley & Co. in London and New York City for over 14 years, holding a role as Managing Director in its Leverage Finance team. Particularly experienced in commercial real estate and corporate finance, capital markets and transactions, he is also a member of the Board of Directors of Dutch Lifestyle and hotel Company CitizenM, as well as a senior advisor to Value Retail, the creator and operator of The Bicester Village Shopping Collection.
Rita Schroeven has been the Head of Legal Affairs at VIA Outlets since its inception in 2014. Originally joining from Value Retail, she brings more than 25 years of pan-European expertise in senior legal roles within the retail and real estate industries including 14 years as Vice President – Legal for Europe at retail brand Foot Locker. There, Rita managed the legal aspects of the retailer’s major expansion across Europe, including the set-up of its European e-commerce business. She was also part of Foot Locker’s European Management Team. She is particularly experienced in real estate transactions, leasing, competition law, general governance, and risk matters in relation to the fashion retail and real-estate industries.
Otto Ambagtsheer, Chief Executive Officer of VIA Outlets, commented: “Rita’s and Jaap’s combined a wealth of experience across commercial real estate, finance, and law will be instrumental to our continued growth in the coming years, as we continue implementing our established 3 R’s strategy to generate returns for our shareholder APG and create value.”
Jaap Tonckens said: “The retail real estate industry has faced plenty of challenges over the last couple of years, but VIA Outlets has proved its resilience time and time again, and I am delighted to be working with a great team to continue executing its ambitious growth strategy.”
Rita Schroeven added: “Having been with VIA Outlets since its foundation in 2014, it is with great joy now that I join the Board as an Executive Director to continue being a part of the exciting journey we are on as a business.”
Following the appointment of Jaap Tonckens and Rita Schroeven, the Board will comprise six directors, made up of three Non-Executive Directors – Roland Mangelmans (Director of Real Estate, APG), Paul Atema (Director of Real Estate, APG) and Jaap Tonckens (Non-Executive Board Director) – and three Executive Directors – Otto Ambagtsheer (CEO, VIA Outlets), Peter Stals (CFO, VIA Outlets), and Rita Schroeven (Head of Legal Affairs, VIA Outlets).
