Hammerson plc has created a new position of Managing Director UK and Ireland with responsibility for its £6.2bn prime retail portfolio.
Following the Company’s milestone entry into the Irish retail property market last year, the new role will strengthen its strategic retail credentials and will assume overall responsibility for leasing, asset management and operations across the shopping centre and retail parks portfolio in both the UK and Ireland.
Mark Bourgeois, Executive Director of Capital & Regional plc has been appointed to the position, he will also sit on Hammerson’s Group Executive Committee.
With over 20 years of experience in the retail property sector, Bourgeois managed Capital & Regional’s substantial retail portfolio with responsibility for repositioning high profile retail and leisure destinations across the UK. He is currently president of Revo (formerly British Council of Shopping Centres) and Mark’s longstanding retailer relationships, strategic knowledge of the industry and board level experience were key to his appointment.
As part of the change in structure to the senior team, Martin Plocica, currently Director of UK and Ireland Shopping Centres, will step back from the business on a day to day basis. Martin joined Hammerson in 2011 and has played a key role in establishing Hammerson as a leading retail REIT. In the months ahead he will be supporting the business in transitioning to the new structure before leaving the company in 2017.
David Atkins, CEO of Hammerson, said, “The ever increasing pace of structural change in retail has led us to revaluate how we operate as a business and how we drive forward the various divisions. This role brings a new level of expertise and skills and is in line with our ambition to deliver the best European retail locations for our retailers and consumers.”
“I would like to personally thank Martin for his commitment to the business and in his time at Hammerson, he has made a significant contribution to the way we operate our shopping centre portfolio and we wish him well for the future.”
