ICSC research seminar focuses on drivers for growth

The 6th research seminar hosted by the International Council of Shopping Centers Europe next month will focus on identifying the future drivers of growth and how to maximise excitement for shopping centre visitors and profitability for management. The event takes place at Hotel Hesperia in Madrid on 30-31 October.

ICSC Europe said the seminar will bring together leading retail research experts from the industry and beyond to discuss many of the biggest concerns of the shopping centre industry, including the effects of globalisation and pricing pressure on retail economics. The seminar will also cover 'Where's Hot and Where's Not' for investors, developers and retailers across Europe.

Speakers from across Europe include Dr Jonathan Reynolds, director of the Oxford Institute for Retail Management, on global retailing and its effect on the retail landscape and Paul Jansen from Foot Locker Europe on what's driving retailer internationalisation. Hanna Kaleva, managing director of Finland's KTI Institute for Real Estate Economics, will discuss if retailers can afford the rent demanded by shopping centre owners and the potential for future rental growth. Angel Rodriguez, managing director ING Real Estate, Spain, will debate innovation in shopping centre formats, describing his company's ongoing market testing of homecentre concepts. Delegates will also have the opportunity to go behind the scenes at some of Madrid's most impressive shopping centres, all ICSC award-winners. These include Parquesur, the biggest centre in South Madrid, Xanadu, with its unique indoor snow sports centre and Principe Pio in Northern Madrid which is housed are an historic railway station.

Dr Brenna O'Roarty, chairperson of the ICSC European Research Seminar Programme Planning Committee and director of European Strategic Research at RREEF, said: 'This is a very strong seminar programme and we are delighted with the high quality and diversity our speakers, who will give our delegates a much wider perspective of the industry. We all need to understand the economic, social, environmental and technological drivers in our industry and that is most effectively done through harnessing the knowledge of experts both inside and outside the industry.'

For more information, visit www.icsc.org.