The International Council of Shopping Centers (ICSC) has said it will stage the first ever pan-European event early next year designed to bring retailers and developers together to make deals. ‘Retail Connections’, to be held at ExCel in London on 29 January 2008, is described as a meeting space facilitated by ICSC, enabling retailers and tenants to meet and do business directly with developers' leasing teams. 'This type of event is more common in the USA where serious deal-making has long been the name of the game,' ICSC European managing director Ermine Amies said. 'As new markets open up and geographical borders blur, we have had an increasing number of calls from our members to set up similar events in Europe.'
The International Council of Shopping Centers (ICSC) has said it will stage the first ever pan-European event early next year designed to bring retailers and developers together to make deals. ‘Retail Connections’, to be held at ExCel in London on 29 January 2008, is described as a meeting space facilitated by ICSC, enabling retailers and tenants to meet and do business directly with developers' leasing teams. 'This type of event is more common in the USA where serious deal-making has long been the name of the game,' ICSC European managing director Ermine Amies said. 'As new markets open up and geographical borders blur, we have had an increasing number of calls from our members to set up similar events in Europe.'
Amies says that as well as facilitating deal making and helping retailers meet key developers, the ICSC hopes that they will learn about new markets in Europe, Russia, Ukraine and Turkey. Organized for the ICSC by Lodestar Marketing, the day will be based on a new meeting every 45 minutes with a 15-minute change around, enabling up to four members of a leasing team to meet eight prime retailers in pre-arranged speed-meetings. More information can be found at www.lodestaruk.com.
