The Fund’s optimisation strategy
To achieve its targets, the Retail Fund aims to optimise its portfolio through targeted acquisitions, the redevelopment of core assets and the disposal of non-core retail units. Taking into account the trends in the retail market and the demographic outlook, we believe that the current competitive market requires specialised, well-positioned retail assets. Our strategy is to focus on what we believe will be the two decisive elements in the future of retail:
- Experience: High street portfolio, focus on A1 locations in major shopping cities
- Convenience: District shopping centres, focus on catchment areas and strong tenant mix
In addition, the key building blocks in the Fund’s strategy are:
- Focus on retail tenants less sensitive to economic cycles
- Redevelopment: expansion/redevelopment of well-located shopping centres and retail units to meet the quality requirements of modern retail
- Active asset management: maintaining high occupancy levels by developing close relationships with tenants and by ensuring the right tenant mix per catchment area
Strategic actions in 2014
- Strengthened ‘Experience’ portfolio, through acquisitions in A1 locations
- Strengthened ‘Convenience’ portfolio, through acquisitions of local shopping centres that meet the needs of today’s consumers
- Divested non-core assets
- Continued to optimise the standing portfolio through redevelopments
- Initiated the development of an online platform for retail tenants in shopping centres