Rönesans Real Estate Investment, which harbors more than 1150 retailers in 8 shopping centers located in 7 cities, believes that the retail sector and the shopping center investors will grow together as much as they cooperate.

Rönesans Real Estate Investment, which embodies an Asset Management Team, strives to provide retailers with high financial turnover.

Rönesans Real Estate Investment, which started its operations in 2001 with its first shopping center investment in Ankara, now welcomes 95 million visitors every year to its eight malls mostly located in Anatolia. Meanwhile, the company tunes into the retail sector’s challenges through its asset and business management teams, helping 1,150 retailers in increasing their productivity and particularly fixing the exchange rate.

Hasan Şimşek, General Manager of Rönesans Real Estate Investment, remarked that they employ an in-house asset management team which he described as follows: “This team is responsible for monitoring items such as the annual financial turnover, starting figures, previous year’s turnover and periodic movements in order to keep our shopping centers strong and lucrative. For instance, if in one of our shopping centers where many brands increase their revenues, some fail to do so, the asset management team steps in and examines the situation in detail. Following a meeting with the retailer, the team provides various solutions to increase the retail revenues. As a solution, our team and the retailer decide to optimize the business, either by making some improvements or relocating in a smaller or larger store.”

Learning period is over for the sector, we are proceeding to maturity.

“At Rönesans Real Estate Investment, we do not build redundantly large shopping centers. We are on the same page with the retailers, as well. They used to prefer large stores but now, they prefer convenient sizes. This is what we call efficiency and optimization,” said Şimşek who pointed out that the next period will be marked by efficiency and optimization. Hasan Şimşek also underlined that every brand should know the right square meters it needs and continued: “The learning period is over for the sector, we are proceeding to maturity.”

Alongside the retailer at each step from A to Z

Hasan Şimşek, General Manager of Rönesans Real Estate Investment, stated that they have adopted an integrated business understanding and added: “From the investment decision to project development, from leasing to operation and asset management, we carry out all the processes that require comprehensive research through the teams of Rönesans Real Estate Investment. We have been a part of the shopping center sector for 15 years. We share the knowledge and experience accumulated throughout these years with our retailers.”

Şimşek stated that they monitor the retail sector closely and notice retailers’ claims and requests. He cited the İzmir Optimum in Gaziemir as the closest example of their business understanding and pointed out that they developed an enlargement project, which adds 28,000 square meter leasable area to the existing 58,000 square meters increasing the total size up to 86,000 square meters on demand coming from the retailers. “The largest shopping mall in İzmir, which will be completed by the end of March 2017, will include brands such as H&M, Zara, Bershka, Stradivarius, Pull & Bear, Vakko, GUESS, Kiko Milano, MAC, and Hayal Kahvesi. We anticipate that the annual number of visitors will increase from 12 million to 16 million,” noted Şimşek.

With the enlargement project of İzmir Optimum, there will be outdoor playgrounds with a total area of 3,000 square meters specially designed for children. Custom-made toys produced in Denmark will develop children’s mental and manual skills, as well as improve their social skills. Also, there will be specially-designed toys for the children with autism. These toys will contribute to their socialization and development as well. Specially-designed colored coatings, produced in compliance with European standards, will enable to prevent any damage to children in the playgrounds. In addition, children can play on the grass and sand. For parents, there will be cafes and sitting areas to sit back and watch their children.

Trainings Held to Create Qualified Personnel

Noting that they always invest in accordance with the needs of the region and the retailer, Şimşek said: “We value the future of the brands, which we call as our business partners, and invest accordingly. We closely observe the next generation as well as their habits and lives integrated with technology, and we build our brands upon those observations. Going forward, we always funnel our efforts into achieving the better.” Şimsek underlined that the retail sector and the shopping center investors will grow together as much as they cooperate and also pointed out that they organize training activities in order to meet the need for qualified personnel with retailing skills in cities where needed.

A Major Contribution to Women’s Employment: 42 Percent

Rönesans Real Estate Investment welcomes 95 million visitors in eight shopping centers located in Samsun, Şanlıurfa, Kahramanmaraş, and Adana along with three other large cities and employs nearly 13,000 people. With the new shopping centers to open in next couple of years, Rönesans Real Estate Investment expects to increase the number of employees to 20,000 in three years. Hitting an average 42 percent in women’s employment rate in eight shopping centers is a very positive development. In addition, women employees’ rate is 40 percent and 32 percent at Kahramanmaraş Piazza and Şanlıurfa Piazza, respectively.