Trade association, The European Council of Shopping Places (ECSP), has made a big change at the top, plus a new appointment.
Joanna Fisher is the trade body’s new chair, replacing Peter Wilhelm, who is stepping down. Julien Bouyeron has also joined the council as its new dedicated secretary general.
Fisher is currently the CEO of ECE Marketplaces, where she is responsible for the shopping centre business at ECE Group, one of Europe’s leading shopping centre businesses.
Bouyeron is joining from the European DIY Retail Association, where he held the position of director of European Affairs. He has over 10 years of experience dedicated to EU-focused advocacy programmes.
Outgoing chair, Wilhelm, said: ‘Launching a new organisation in the middle of a pandemic was never going to be easy. However, I am proud of what has been achieved, delivering a diversified programme of activities from a standing start; from public affairs advocacy, a new awards programme, dedicated working groups and research, as well as public campaigns with members representing national associations and some of Europe’s largest retail property developers, investors, and managers. I am grateful for all the support we have had and wish continuous success to the new leadership team in the challenges and opportunities ahead.’
Fisher thanked Wilhelm: ‘Our thanks to Peter for everything that has been achieved since we launched in October 2020.’
‘As we look to the future, having a dedicated voice at the European level has never been more important for our industry. The complexities and nuances of how our members invest, develop, and manage shopping places needs to be better understood by those who are shaping the future of Europe. We make a valuable contribution to the European economy and to the communities that we serve. However, we also need to better understand how we can be an important partner in helping Europe achieve its ambitions.’
Bouyeron added, ‘European retail property is at an important crossroads. Whilst we are still recovering from the pandemic and the impact of the economic slowdown, a new EU regulatory framework is emerging, that will have a dramatic impact on our sector, as Europe responds to the climate crisis. We will raise our brand and profile in Brussels and continue to defend our members interests with EU lawmakers.’
