Savills adds retail team director to Paris office

International real estate adviser Savills has appointed Karim Olivier Lacheheb as director of its retail team in France.

Lacheheb has 16 years experience in the industry, having previously worked at AEW Europe as director of asset management for central Europe (covering Poland, Hungary, Czech Republic and Romania), including a 10-month secondment in 2010 at AEW's Milan offices.

Prior to this he spent five years as European retail asset manager in Jones Lang LaSalle's investment management department in Paris covering southern Europe and before this worked in acquisitions for Rodamco.

At Savills he will be responsible for developing relationships with institutional clients and will work closely with the existing retail team which is headed by Christophe Gouny at the firm's Paris office.

'There has been a resurgence of activity in retail investment in France, in fact 30% of business on the French investment market is in retail,' said the head of Savills' retail team in Paris, Christophe Gouny. 'The recruitment of Karim is a reflection of this growing activity and his extensive European experience will make him a valuable asset to the team.'