The ICSC (International Council of Shopping Centers), which is one of the best-known real estate organisations in the US and globally, has made extensive, corporate-wide layoffs.
The New York-headquartered organisation, which was forced to scrap its annual Recon convention in Las Vegas in late May, made the headcount cuts last Wednesday, it has emerged.
Covid-19 and the associated lockdown across North America is the reason, according to those that have lost their jobs.
Among those that have been made redundant are professionals who have worked for the ICSC for over 20 years, such as Jean Lambert. Lambert headed up the ICSC’s research department and was with the organisation for 21 years.
Another casualty is Mike Tubridy, writer-editor for a total of 29 years, who told contacts, ‘After three decades, I can say that all of you who crossed my path at ICSC are forever a part of me.’
Lambert also wrote a warm tribute to worldwide members of the trade association and to colleagues.
The ICSC has not yet responded to PropertyEU requests for further information but it had already said it was suspending all physcial gatherings until August 15. However it continues to host a virtual series of events.
The flagship Las Vegas convention was scheduled for May 19 – 22. It attracts up to 30,000 delegates each year.
PropertyEU previously reported how the EMEA, Asia and Latin American chapters were shut down last year for commercial reasons unconnected to covid-19. A replacement organisation in Europe is being worked up by previous EMEA CEO Peter Wilhelm, and Joost Koomen, former head of public affairs in Europe.
What happens with the ICSC is of interest to many senior European property professionals, especially those who served on the European Leadership Committee, which included Alexander Otto of ECE, Marcus Wild of SES Spar European Shopping Centers, John Stachan, chairman of Intu, Josip Kardun who recently left Multi Corporation as CEO to join Meyer Bergman, Henrike Waldburg head of investment management at Union Investment, and Rik Eertink of CBRE Global Investors.
The ICSC is led by Tom McGee, who became president and CEO in September 2015 having served as vice chairman of Deloitte. The CFO is Stefan Freiberg, also formerly of Deloitte.
