International retailers sign up for ICSC Property School

Employees of international retailers H&M and Desigual are for the first time studying at the International Council of Shopping Centers (ICSC)'s European Retail Property School.

The European Retail Property School was previously almost exclusively attended by young professionals from retail real estate developers and shopping centre management companies.

ICSC European Managing Director, Mike Morrissey, said: 'International retailers are increasingly seeing the value of our European Retail Property School, the only one of its kind dedicated to the European shopping centre industry, as they can develop a greater understanding of this industry’s particular issues. The last few years has seen a significant coming together of retailers with shopping centre developers and managers, in the past often on different sides of the fence, as they recognise an opportunity to strengthen links for mutual benefit.'

Numbers at the ICSC European Retail Property School, which moved to Berlin after a three-year residency in Brussels, are also rising. This year over 90 students from across Europe attended the school, including 19 scholars, identified and funded by the independent European Shopping Centre Trust (ESCT), as having the potential to be future industry leaders.

For some students, the week-long school is as much about meeting new people as the education. Christine Freihart, Leasing Manager at ECE Projektmanagement, one of the ESCT scholars who works in Germany said: 'As well as the educational content, which is giving me a wider industry perspective, a big part of the week is the opportunity to build my professional networks.'

Another first for the School is its Institute for Development, Design and Construction, launched in response to industry calls for a high level educational programme to drive European’s next generation of shopping centre development. This new institute is added to the established Management, Leasing and Marketing institutes, which every year draws students for the school.

Sven Gruber, managing director of Immoraum Real Estate Advisors and part of ICSC’s Next Generation Group, gave a presentation to all students of the master class about ICSC Next Generation and its importance for future industry talent. ICSC Next Generation provides international networking and business opportunities, together with the exchange of industry changing ideas/trends and best practice across Europe and the rest of the world.

Derek Barker, managing director of International architects Haskoll, gave this year’s annual European Retail Property School master class. Derek recently received the ICSC Trustees’ Distinguished Service Award, presented to ICSC members who have made special contributions to the industry.