Shopping Mall Expert - March_May 2016

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The other side of the toy industry Workers tolerate deplorable working conditions in order to make ends meet

ISSN 2450-1433 | 14.99 euro

MARCH–MAY 1/2016 (3) | shoppingmallexpert.com

Interview with Christopher Tang, Chief Executive Officer, Commercial and Greater China, Frasers Centrepoint Limited

oasis of exciting

Interview with JosĂŠ Ayala Bonilla, General Manager The Mall of San Juan

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Shopping Mall Expert

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RETAIL BUSINESS TECHNOLOGY EXPO 9-10 March London, UK www.retailbusinesstechnologyexpo.com

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RETAIL DESIGN EXPO 9-10 March London, UK www.retaildesignexpo.com ICSC EUROPEAN OUTLET CONFERENCE 22 March London, UK www.icsc.org/events-and-programs/ details/european-outlet-conference2 ICSC SPREE EUROPE 22 March London, UK spreeshow.com ICSC RETAIL CONNECTIONS 23 March London, UK www.icsc.org/2016LRC VERDICT AWARDS 21 April London, UK www.arena-international.com/ verdictawards/schedule INTERNET RETAILING EXPO 27-28 April Birmingham, UK internetretailingexpo.com

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FUTURE OMNICHANNEL RETAIL STRATEGIES EUROPE 17-18 May Berlin, Germany www.arena-international.com/ futureretaileurope ICSC EUROPEAN MARKETING CONFERENCE 9-10 June Berlin, Germany www.icsc.org/events-and-programs/ details/european-marketing-conference4

Designed by Freepik

FRANCHISE EXPO PARIS 20-23 March Paris, France www.franchiseparis.com

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ICSC EUROPEAN CONFERENCE 18-19 April Milan, Italy www.icsc.org/2016EU

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GLOBALSHOP 23-25 March Las Vegas, USA www.globalshop.org SHOPTALK 16-18 May Las Vegas, USA shoptalk.com

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RETAIL TECHNOLOGY SHOW USA 30-31 March Atlanta, USA www.terrapinn.com/conference/ retail-technology-show-usa/index.stm

We are where retail thrives

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EAST AFRICA RETAIL EXPANSION SUMMIT 7-8 April Nairobi, Kenya retail.mykar-events.com

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WORLD BRAND CONGRESS 11 April Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia www.worldbrandcongress.com

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6TH ANNUAL SHOPPING MALLS SUMMIT 6–7 April Singapore www.trueventus.com/event.php?intid=315 RETAIL IN MALL 6–7 April Singapore www.trueventus.com/event.php?intid=309

WORLD RETAIL CONGRESS 12–14 April Dubai, UAE www.worldretailcongress.com INRETAIL SUMMIT 23–24 May Dubai, UAE www.inretailsummit.com RETAIL SHOW MIDDLE EAST 31 May–1 June Dubai, UAE www.terrapinn.com/exhibition/ retail-show-middle-east/index.stm

IN PARTNERSHIP WITH:

For progressive retailers to keep updated on current trends and changes, there is no better forum.

ANDREW JENNINGS | GLOBAL RETAIL ADVISOR

Under the patronage of H.H. Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai

YOU’RE INVITED TO ATTEND WORLD RETAIL CONGRESS 2016 Join us as the World Retail Congress celebrates its 10th edition at the Madinat Jumeirah in Dubai on 12-14 April, 2016. Annually, the Congress attracts 1,000+ senior retail leaders spanning 60+ countries, operating across all major retail sectors. It’s set to be groundbreaking, with representatives from Levi’s, Marks & Spencer, HEMA, Google and the legendary Tommy Hilfiger in attendance.

Taking as its theme; Attracting and engaging with the modern customer, secure your place with the industry elite for three days of insight and networking as you help shape the direction of retail.

Book your place today and save 15%.

Use the code SHOPME16 at checkout.

W: www.worldretailcongress.com | T: +44(0)20 3033 2020

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PART OF THE

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CONTENTS COVER

An oasis of exciting retail

Interview with Christopher Tang, Chief Executive Officer, Commercial and Greater China, Frasers Centrepoint Limited

32 FEUILLETON

How to Approach a Retail Customer?

An oasis of exciting retail

20 EXPERT

The other side of the toy industry

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Not just another shopping mall

Will the beacon technology transform the retail sector in 2016?

42 LIFE&STYLE

Amphawa Floating Market – a source of authentic experience

60 Gadgets

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Gaining

from experience

Q&A

Not just another shopping mall Interview with Murat Duran, General Director of ENKA TC

14 Embrace change as it happens

Interview with Krista BeBeau, Marketing Director of Cornwall Centre

Oscar Wilde once said that experience is simply the name we give our mistakes. In the March issue of Shopping Mall Expert we would like to take you on an amazing journey to the world of the most extraordinary shopping centres from all over the world – from Cornwall Centre in Canada and The Mall of San Juan in Puerto Rico, through Kuntsevo Plaza in Russia and all of the Baltic Red shopping centres in the Baltic region, up to Waterway Point in Singapore.

Read our candid interviews with representatives of these unusual retail facilities and learn from their experience and expert knowledge.

They share their recipe for success in retail, present opinions about the market and give ideas for attracting customers. Reading SME is a perfect way to benefit from the experience of others to build your competitive advantage.

We never forget to look at the most important market tendencies. In the December issue, our experts talked about the changes that the new trends may bring, e.g. the beacon technologies. This time, we decided to focus a bit more on that subject and together with Richard Cope, an expert from Mintel, discussed the revolutionary potential of beacons in the retail sector.

We try not to avoid difficult subjects either and want to turn your attention to some of the problems that are often swept under the rug. The article “The Other Side of the Toy Industry” presents an analysis of the situation in toy factories. People working 60-80 hours a week for less than 2 cents per toy and serious environmental pollution – these are just some of the many deadly sins of Chinese factories.

Enjoy your reading.

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Agnieszka Nejman Editor in Chief

Constant analysis of new opportunities

Interview with Guido Wolf, Director, Group Development, Zabolis Partners/Baltic RED

PUBLISHER: CentraNet s.c., Dominik Rybarczyk, Paweł Tracichleb ul. Wronczyńska 10, 60-102 Poznań, PL 7792294126 centranet@centranet.pl, www.centranet.pl ISSN 2450-1433

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EDITORIAL OFFICE: Shopping Mall Expert ul. 28 Czerwca 1956 r. 314 c, 61-469 Poznań, Poland tel. + 48 (61) 282-17-24, contact@shoppingmallexpert.com www.shoppingmallexpert.com EDITOR IN CHIEF: Agnieszka Nejman tel. + 48 (61) 415-51-24, contact@shoppingmallexpert.com

Elevate the shopping experience

Interview with José Ayala Bonilla, General Manager of The Mall of San Juan

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EDITORIAL BOARD Karolina Stankowska, Marta Mrowińska, Bob Phibbs, AND COLLABORATORS: Qiang Li, Richard Cope ADVERTISE: contact@shoppingmallexpert.com

DTP AND PHOTO EDITION: Piotr Przepiórkowski

PRINT: Print Studio in Kobyłka

The Editorial Board of the Shopping Mall Expert has a right to select the received material as well as to proofread and shorten the received texts. Unsolicited material will not be returned.

All material published in the Shopping Mall Expert is protected by copyright. The Editorial Board is not liable for the content of advertisements and press releases. Non-contractual dissemination of publications is not allowed.

Cover photo: Christopher Tang, courtesy of Frasers Centrepoint Malls

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NEWS

Photo: youtube.com

FANTASY GIFTS EXHIBITION FROM NEIMAN MARCUS Neiman Marcus started a cooperation with Simon Malls for the Fantasy Gifts 2015 exhibition at the Roosevelt Field shopping center in New York. The project covered five absolutely unique gifts, including World View Exploration, a 7-day trip to Italy with Ippolita Rostagno, a jewelry designer, or a trip to the legendary Stitzel-Weller Distillery for a whisky-lover and his friends. All profits from the sale of gifts went to The Heart of Neiman Marcus Foundation. The campaign was a great introduction to the holiday season, as well as the opening of the new Neiman Maran im /ne m cus store at Roosevelt Field at the o k .c eboo Photo: fac beginning of 2016.

A HEARTBREAKING EDEKA CAMPAIGN

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The holiday ad from Edeka, the German supermarket chain, was deemed by many the most emotional Christmas commercial of 2015. The spot tells a story of an elderly man who, another year in a row, learns that his children and grandchildren won't find the time to visit him on Christmas. In order to get his too-busy relatives home, he sends them a notification of his passing away. When the family finally arrives at home, it turns out that the elderly man is alive and well and the whole family rejoices in the happy ending.

The ad, evoking strong emotions, stirred up a lot of controversy among the viewers. Nevertheless, the ad is thought-provoking and forces all of us to think about what is truly important during the holiday season.

'MAN ON THE MOON' FROM JOHN LEWIS Every year, one of the most anticipated Christmas commercials comes from John Lewis, a British department store, bringing to tears viewers from all around the world. In 2015, the brand yet again proved its excellence, releasing a Christmas ad that could be interpreted as a metaphor for the loneliness of the elderly. The commercial features an elderly man living alone on the moon and a little girl who spies him through a telescope. The girl tries to reach the man using many different methods, yet to no avail. Finally, she gets the idea to send him a package fastened to a dozen balloons.

The film ends with an emotional reaction of the elderly man and the tagline 'Show someone they're loved this Christmas'. John Lewis is also a supporter of the Age UK charity organisation.

SUPERMODEL LEGENDS FEATURED IN BALMAIN CAMPAIGN

Photo: youtube.com

The phenomenal fashion icons and world-famous models reunited for the Balmain spring campaign. Cindy Crawford, Claudia Schiffer and Naomi Campbell are the supermodel legends from the 1990s. Today, although every one of them is way over 40 years old but, they are still exceptionally beautiful, leading younger models by example of ageless class and grace.

The campaign was shot

by Steven Klein, the famous fashion photographer. Black and white photos of the famous top models are incredibly sensual.

Photo: facebook.com/LionCoffeeRecords

Photo: facebook.com/balmainparis

GAP LAUNCHES IN-STORE COFFEE SHOP Gap, a clothing and accessories brand, has prepared a special attraction for its London customers. A pop-up coffee shop Lion Coffee + Records has been opened at the Gap flagship store at Oxford Street. The shop is located on the ground floor. Shoppers can now relax, drink delicious coffee, buy records and enjoy music from London’s up-and-coming artists. A weekly music program features DJ shows, exhibitions and unplugged sessions. The representatives of both companies are very pleased with the results of this extraordinary cooperation between the worlds of fashion and music.

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#1 destination to discover new trends, opportunities, solutions and best practices of the Middle East The most important retail conference in the Middle East will is returning! This year the event will be strategically placed alongside workspace at INDEX, INDEX and Retailspace to create the ultimate retail and interiors sourcing platform for the MENA market. Join over 300 retail decision makers to discuss and debate solutions that create world class shopping destinations.

KEYNOTES FROM: Mohi BinHendi President & Chairman of the Board Binhendi Enterprise

Humaid Alnuaimi GM - Retail Leasing Nakeel

TOPICS INCLUDE: •

Suitability and Growth

•

Smart Retailing

•

New Opportunities

•

Profiting from Big Data

•

Operational Effectiveness

•

Competing in a Crowded Market

Great for networking. Interesting case studies and presentations.

Andrew Williamson Head of Retail JLL

Shailen Shukla Head of Logistics Jumbo

Business Development Director, Retail Access

The event was insightful in sharing real time issues by the eminent speakers.

Warehouse Manager, Emirates Coop Society

For more information please visit www.inretailsummit.com Co-located with:

Analytics Partner:

Knowledge Partner:

Media Partners:

Organised By:

NEWS

THE FRIARY GUILDFORD GOES GREEN

AMAZON OPENS ITS FIRST BOOKSTORE AT A SHOPPING CENTRE

In order to reduce the carbon footprint, The Friary Guilford in Great Britain encouraged its customers to plant trees. One tree can reduce the carbon dioxide emissions by as mush as 15%. The shopping centre itself decided to plant 10 trees in its vicinity. Moreover, each customer who spent £75 at The Friary Guildford, could receive a Christmas tree sapling as a gift. A completely different attraction was prepared for the children. The centre hosted a 1700s Santa Claus dressed in green robes lined with fur.

Two decades after Amazon started selling books online, the company opened its first brick-and-mortar bookstore. It is located in University Village in the United States. With approximately 5000 sq m of retail space, the shop is stocked with nearly 6000 books, including the biggest best-sellers, as well as little-known titles.

Benefiting from its experience online, Amazon knows very well which titles to sell and has an expert insight into the customer purchasing habits. The book rating card, that has been available for online shoppers for years, also helps Amazon in developing its best bookstore offer.

The brick-and-mortar shop is simply an alternative to Amazon. com and the site will continue to operate.

Photo: uvillage.com

AIRWAYS POP-UP EVENT AT THE GROVE

ASIAN CUISINE FESTIVAL AT SUNNYBANK PLAZA

Photo: facebook.com/sunnybankplaza

: oto Ph

Another edition of the Asian cuisine festival at the Australian Sunnybank Plaza shopping centre was a great success. In 2014, the centre attracted nearly 6000 people who turned out for the event. What is so special about this festival? Each participant pays only $2. It is a unique opportunity to taste the best Asian food, including braised beef in Sichuan sauce.

The secret of this event is to eat your food while you’re waiting in line to the next retailer.

-There’ll be a great atmosphere and vibe – said Lisa Smith, marketing manager at Sunnybank Plaza.

irw ays. com

AQUA CITY ODAIBA WITH A NEW STAFF MEMBER "ChihiraJunco" is the name of the new member of the staff at Aqua City Odaiba in Japan. She helps customers find the right shop and presents the facility's offer and events program. ChihiraJunco is the younger sister of ChihiraAico, a similar android also developed

by Toshiba that debuted two years ago. Thanks to its processor and touchscreen, the android responds to questions from tourists in three languages. In the future, such robots will respond directly to all questions, not only the ones that have been recorded in the system in advance.

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Photo: toshiba.co.jp

Photo: thefriaryguildford.com

Thousands of Los Angeles residents took part in an event organised by Qatar Airways.

The unique pop-up event was organised exclusively for the customers of The Grove and celebrated the launch of the new offer of the airways, available from the beginning of 2016. Guests could not only meet the aircrew but also experience the Qatar Airways business class, Arabic food tastings, and musical entertainment from around the world. – In advance of the launch of our services to LAX, we chose to provide Los Angeles residents with a taste of our five-star service and amenities – said Qatar Airways Group Chief Executive, His Excellency Mr. Akbar Al Baker. – The response has been incredible and Los Angeles residents have been very welcoming. It is very important for us to engage with all the local communities that qa tar we serve and showcase our airlines. a

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ICSC Retail Connections 23 March 2016

Business Design Centre London, United Kingdom

Your platform for success

with international retailers The global deal-making event bringing leasing professionals from around the world together with global retail brands in one place on one efficient day.

ICSC Global Partner

ICSC European Partners

For more information, email retailconnections@icsc.org or visit www.icsc.org/2016LRC

#ICSCEUROPE

Fot. Apsys Polska S.A.

POSNANIA – MALL OF THE FUTURE IN THE HEART OF EUROPE Posnania is the largest shopping and lifestyle center, being currently built in Poznań, one of the 8 largest cities in Poland. This is the biggest ongoing retail investment in Poland and Central Europe worth EUR 300 million. The project is expected to be completed in the fall of 2016 and will take customer experience to the next level.

ADVER TORIAL

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he 100,000 m2 mixed-use mall will combine shopping, entertainment and recreation functions to offer multiple experiences for everyone. The mall is perfectly located in the heart of Poznań and will serve as the biggest regional centre from Berlin to Warsaw, with outstanding fashion and food offering. Posnania covers a catchment area of roughly one million inhabitants of Poznań, which is Poland’s second city in terms of purchasing power and regarded as one of the most friendly Polish cities to foreign investors. The mall has been leased in 86% over one year prior to the grand opening. It will comprise of 300 recognized Polish and international brands, including 40 large and medium size units, 220 boutiques, 40 cafes and restaurants. Convenient access to Posnania is assured by numerous bus and tram lines, the immediate vicinity of regional bus station and Ring Łacina bypass with access to the motorway. The scheme will offer 3300 parking spaces.

Posnania will be the only mall in the capital city of Wielkopolska region with two large format shops under one roof (Carrefour and Leroy Merlin DIY). A unique tenant mix means a diversified offering – from popular Polish and international brands like Inditex Group and LPP Group to individual concept stores of Polish designers. In the exclusive premium zone on the first floor will be around 20 luxurious brands, chiefly fashion, accessories and jewellery. The offering is completed by brands that have not been available in Poznań until now, such as Samsung concept store or Traffic Club.

Among tenants are also Poznań-based brands, particularly in food offering.

Posnania will ensure rich and diverse food offering to meet everyone’s tastes. On the first floor, will be the food court with 700 seats and an external terrace. Live cooking will offer local and exotic cuisines from around the world. Posnania will offer restaurants with waiter service staff and summer and winter gardens located

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on the ground floor, together with plenty of cafés and pubs.

The original architectonic concept has been designed by the American well known company RTKL. It will have a transparent elevation allowing to benefit from direct daylight. Additionally, 8-meters high shopping windows in selected areas will ensure attractive exposure of brands.

Customers will be free to make use of some extra services like those offered by a stylist/ personal shopper and concierge or they can have their shopping delivered to the parking lot or to home.

In Posnania will be the place where people can comfortably work in a cosy atmosphere or just have a good time, watch some movie premieres with friends or take part in one of plenty events. Small children will be very well looked after in the Child Club or have fun with their playmates in the playgrounds. Next to the front entrance to Posnania, there will be the Amphitheatre with a colourful fountain, which will turn

Fot. Apsys Polska S.A.

Fot. Apsys Polska S.A.

into an ice rink in winter. Posnania is a place for active people – there will be a fitness club and a swimming pool as well as many facilities for the cyclists like locker-rooms with showers or monitored bike parking.

Posnania will be one of the most innovative malls in Poland and across whole Central and Eastern Europe. Clients will be able to enjoy benefits of cutting-edge technologies and use a dedicated mobile application, beacons, geolocation, digital maps, interactive kiosks.

Posnania will employ modern channels to communicate with its customers, including a website integrated with social media and a multimedia „Tweet Wall”. What’s more, Posnania is the world’s first mall entirely presented in virtual reality technology, enabling a detailed reflection of the mall from the inside and outside view. The virtual walk has been prepared to support current tenants in business decision making.

Posnania is a friendly and integrating place, which will take an active part in the city life and

integrate its local community around initiatives related to the urban lifestyle. One of them is "Posnania Bike Parade" – an event promoting urban cycling lifestyle, addressed to all people, for whom a bicycle is not only a means of transport, but also a reflection of their lifestyle.

Posnania will be the pro-development impulse for the city: comprehensive modernization of the surrounding road infrastructure, construction of new communications solutions, interior landscaping and over 6 km of new bike lines.

The project is certified with BREEAM Interim with „very good” rating, which reflects the highest standards of construction. Posnania is being developed by Apsys Poland, specialized in retail property management and development, with a strong focus on Polish and French retail markets. To date, portfolio of Apsys Poland comprises of 22 malls in 15 Poland’s largest cities, totalling almost 835 000 m2 under management.

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KEY FIGURES ON POSNANIA Autumn 2016 – grand opening 300 million euro – total investment value 1 million citizens – catchment area (45 minutes) 100 000 sq m of GLA 300 brands Extensive entertainment & leisure offer (multiplex, bowling & billiard club, fitness club with a swimming pool, kids’ playgrounds, ice rink and 50 cafes, bars & restaurants) 3300 – parking spaces www.posnania.eu

Q&A

Not just another Interview with Murat Duran, General Director of ENKA TC

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Q&A

RUSSIA

A few months ago the grand opening of Kuntsevo Plaza took place. What is the story behind the name?

The name combines two different parts. The first is “borrowed” from the settlement that was situated here long before the expansion of Moscow city borders – the Kuntsevo town; the town was “absorbed” into the western district of the city in the second half of the XX century and gave its name to this part of the metropolis. The second part – Plaza – has, in fact, two meanings. It first implies a traditional open town square, the centre of its trade & social life. Secondly, we use it in the nowstandard modern meaning of trade & office centre. So, by naming our Multifunctional lifestyle centre “Kuntsevo Plaza” we were able to combine both the historical identity of the place and the trendy naming standards of the world.

A famous American company – Jerde Partnership – was responsible for the architecture. What was the most important to you in the designing process?

Multifunctional lifestyle centre Kuntsevo Plaza challenges the status quo of traditional shopping centres. We all got used to nondescript boxy shopping malls with no proper insolation or navigation. What we see now are spacious galleries filled with light incoming through the glass roof. Jerde Partnership, the renowned American team responsible for the project’s architecture, did their best to design a building both distinct and bright, as well as balanced – corresponding in its form and flavour to long-standing Russian cultural and historic tradition. The architects were inspired by the Russian Avant-garde movement – the influence that can be traced in the zigzagged facades and complicated layered polyhedrons comprising the eye-catching layout and build of the centre.

But it is also the inside that counts.

Could you tell us more about the interior?

One of the most interesting – from the design viewpoint – spaces in Kuntsevo Plaza is the “Basket” – a unique multi-storey exhibition space, where photo exhibitions, art viewings, retro-automobile shows, architecture, design

Photo: Kuntsevo Plaza

and art workshops are held. And this is just one of many cultural halls in Kuntsevo Plaza – we have different spaces for musical concerts, workshops, runway shows and other events. All those facilities were an integral part of the conceptual framework for the centre, so the location, area and allocation of those spaces were designed early on and included in the earliest plans for the building.

The special exhibition zone with runways, workshops and photo exhibitions mentioned before makes your shopping mall not only a space for shop, but also a cultural centre.

Yes, we can say with absolute certainty that all the events held at Kuntsevo Plaza attract not only the inhabitants of the nearby residential communities, but also people from all over the city that simply enjoy spending their leisure time here. We try to mix one-off events like showbiz stars concerts or runway shows by famous designers with longstanding projects, like retro-car exhibitions and art shows. The first group of events helps us to attract a wider audience for particular dates, while the second adds to our

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Q&A

Photo: Kuntsevo Plaza

long-standing positive image. There is no doubt that every event has its own advantages and brings its own groups of visitors to the centre, helping us to build an overall positive reputation.

Which of the events are the most spectacular and unusual?

From the very beginning, Kuntsevo Plaza was designed not as a standard shopping mall, but rather a multifunctional lifestyle centre, where special attention is paid to open public spaces

Photo: Kuntsevo Plaza

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When composing our event schedule we try to take the interest of both our visitors and our tenants into account. Seeing that Kuntsevo Plaza is now in its first year of operation, we try to mix up different events that could acquaint our visitors with the multifunctional centre, as well as attract our target audience from various upscale city districts. One of the larger and more spectacular events was, in our opinion, the grand opening of Kuntsevo Plaza in early October (October 3–4, 2015). We welcomed over 80,000 visitors that weekend.

A special entertainment program, including Russian showbiz stars as well as Guinness World Records participants and committee members, was prepared for the occasion. The event did not go unnoticed in the higher echelons of Moscow government: a few days later Sergey Sobianin, the Mayor of Moscow, paid a visit to the centre, calling it one of the most interesting projects of the year. Moreover, ever since the soft opening of the centre in February 2015, Kuntsevo Plaza has held several exhibitions in partnership with the most famous Moscow museums and exhibition halls. Together with the Mayakovsky State Museum we held an exhibition called “5 Facts about America”, showcasing the items connected to the poet’s travels around the USA in 1925. Multimedia Art Museum Moscow chose Kuntsevo Plaza for two exhibitions – “Russia in VOGUE” and “Dance in VOGUE” – representing the materials from VOGUE magazine collector’s editions. From August 2015 to January 2016 our “Basket” art space held the “Russia. XXth century in photography” exhibition, comprising photos of the most important events and aspects of life in Russia from the beginning of the century up to the sixties. And now Kuntsevo Plaza is happy to welcome its visitors at the “Soviet advertisement masterpieces 1920–1930”. The display includes over 30 examples of the most interesting early-Soviet advertisements created by the most prominent Russian artists of the 20th century, including some of the famous works by the renowned Mayakovsky-Rodchenko dyad.

What other attractions are prepared for visitors in Kuntsevo Plaza?

Photo: Kuntsevo Plaza

We had a very special approach to selecting our tenants so that we could cover the interests of a wide audience; consequently, besides over a hundred shops and boutiques, Kuntsevo Plaza offers its visitors a vast array of attractions to suit their peculiar tastes.

Healthy lifestyle sticklers can enjoy the amenities of a spacious “World Class” fitness facility with a 25-meter swimming pool and a contemporary SPA-centre. A three-level “Kosmik” amusement centre with bright spaceship-like interiors, a maze for the younger visitors and lots of arcade games and other attractions, including laser tag, await the active recreation buffs.

Family weekends could be spent in the “Mori Cinema” multiplex with RealDeluxe screening rooms equipped with DolbyAtmos sound systems. Moreover, Kuntsevo Plaza offers its visitors several unique designer cuisine restaurants, such as the conceptual “Studio” or home-style cuisine “Local” from the creators of “Friends Forever Company”, as well as various cafes and bakeries first popularized in street-food format for our teen & tween audience.

customer category, including families & children. Besides rather standard for the shopping centre of this level facilities, where the parents can leave their children to play while shopping, or fully-equipped amenities designed for mothers with babies & toddlers, our visitors have access to a full array of educational and entertainment events held in Kuntsevo Plaza especially for the younger audience. We are set on holding regular scientific workshops, as well as special edutainment sessions in both Russian and English. We also pay attention to promoting an active lifestyle by holding open sport sessions in partnership with Reebok and their “Les Mills” program. During weekends we hold various themed events for the youngest visitors inviting dressed-up actors, with the program changing each week. For several hours the children are able to enjoy the atmosphere of true magic under the careful guidance of professional entertainment and education staff.

I have an impression that you have something for everyone. What about the youngest clients and their parents?

The utmost attention in our communication strategy is paid to informing our customers and potential visitors in every possible way about all the activities planned in the centre, as well as opening of the new, unique for the district, boutiques and shops. We believe that the best results are achieved by combining advertising and PR. It is also vital to stress the effectiveness and significance of social media marketing.

One of the more important aspects essential for success is professional facility management

How do you build your communication strategy?

I have to say that from the very beginning, Kuntsevo Plaza was designed not as a standard shopping mall but rather a multifunctional lifestyle centre, where special attention is paid to open public spaces meant for a comfortable pastime for every

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Q&A

Among the tenants clients can find many popular and high-fashion brands, such as Armani Jeans, Hugo Boss, Lacoste and Michael Kors. What is your tenant selection strategy?

Kuntsevo Plaza is a project unique for Russia, so we always planned to invite tenants that would be able to uphold the level of the centre, comply with its concept and support the image of the multifunctional facility.

Thinking of the tenant mix, we tried to maintain a healthy balance between upscale labels and more affordable yet visionary brands.

Priority was given to world-renowned brands, among them many previously not represented in Russia, as well as larger chains already popular among Russian shoppers.

Kuntsevo Plaza is located in Moscow – the city known for its large and famous shopping malls. How do you evaluate Russian shopping centres market?

Commercial real estate market in Russia is still in its development stage. Every year the field gets more competitive, and the customers gradually switch their preferences to more comfortable, higher level facilities, where they can not only shop for necessities, but also enjoy their free time. Apart from the presence of particular brands, the visitors pay more and more attention to additional services & amenities, as well as entertainment and restaurant facilities of the malls.

How do you find yourself on this competitive market?

Kuntsevo Plaza is fundamentally different from all the other shopping malls in the city – its very concept implies a “lifestyle”

approach – a combination of work spaces, entertainment & relaxation facilities, sports and comfortable shopping amenities.

Moreover, it’s a rare occasion to find full-on exhibitions spaces in a shopping mall, especially the fully equipped for every cultural event spacious halls Kuntsevo Plaza boasts. When designing Kuntsevo Plaza, we tried to fully implement the contemporary standards of the most renowned shopping malls from all over the world. We strongly believe that including those exhibition & cultural spaces not only increases the potential audience of our centre, but also helps us to present Kuntsevo Plaza as a truly multifunctional space, not just another shopping mall.

Enka TC has a long-term commitment to Russian commercial real estate market. In your opinion, what are the challenges that the shopping centres will have to meet in the near future?

Retail real estate market nowadays is undergoing a rapid growth, with more and more modern high-quality retail spaces opening each year – that is why one of the more important aspects essential for success is professional facility management. In a broader sense it also includes composing a balanced and thought-over tenant mix, as well as following an appropriate marketing strategy. We are now witnessing real competition, where shopping centres are forced to fight for the customers. And the only way to win this competition is to not only attract the customers, but also manage to provide them with enough high-quality services and facilities, in order to motivate them to spend more and more time within the centre, coming back week after week.

Photo: Kuntsevo Plaza

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HOW TO APPROACH A RETAIL CUSTOMER?

FEUILLETON

"HOW TO APPROACH A CUSTOMER?"

Your goal, though a bit different than the retailers' goal, is to get clients to feel you have time for them right now. By starting with “Good morning,” “Good afternoon” or “Good evening,” you are extending cordiality without being phony.

The key is to not continue on with a spiel immediately after you’ve said “Good morning”. Wait and let them reply back to you. Then there is time to say who you are, what brand you represent and then ask about their available time.

I’m often asked as a retail expert. Whether that question comes from a retailer looking for sales tips as part of their retail sales training program, a distributor or brand wondering if their reps are “doing it right,” or someone asking about the correct phone etiquette, the quick answer is to start any customer interaction with the word, “Good (time of day)”. Let me explain…

How to approach potential buyers who call you on the phone The key is to let the person on the other end know it is a good morning, good afternoon, etc. Practice by recording yourself and listen to your inflection or role-play to get the sound of your phone greeting just right.

Why? Because again, you must sound like you have time for the caller right then. An exasperated tone, a “Hold please” or other distracted message conveys the message to the caller that they are not important.

For that reason, if you aren't ready to approach that potential new buyer on the phone, don’t answer it – let someone else get it or let it go to voicemail.

What about dealing with a person you already know? There’s no reason for it to be any different.

In Sum: Instead of looking for how to close the sale using stale techniques, start off with the right greeting. You lose the sale within seconds of opening your mouth, so choose your words wisely.

Bottom line: if you want to stand out in a crowded market where too many people have too many choices of who they do business with, a greeting of “good” trumps the greeting of buy my widget every time.

Retailers: How to approach a new shopper “Good morning,” “Good afternoon” or “Good evening” should be the first words out of your associates’ mouths when greeting a customer.

Whether you train that all customers are “guests” – something I’m not fond of – or you train your employees that every customer is a sales prospect, your retail sales training must be to start an interaction on a positive note.

Most retailers think this is easy; it isn’t.

In one of my full day retail sales training programs, I had a regional manager for a major brand come up and role play with me in front of the audience. After being taught what to say, “Good morning,” with the proper attitude, etc. he blew the greeting five times. On the sixth try, immediately after he blew it again, he turned to the audience and said, “This is much harder than you’d think!”.

Yes, it is.

Why? For one, because no one is really listening to what they are saying and number two because training and correcting bad habits are largely missing in most retail sales training.

Companies have just assumed employees can greet anyone just fine, and that all that matters is product knowledge.

How wrong they are.

I was in a Crate and Barrel a couple months ago and they had stationed a greeter at the front door. As people stepped three feet into the store, they were all asked, “How’s it going?’”

Few, if any, answered or looked at the poor woman. Why? Boring. Forgettable. A waste of the employee’s energy.

Do you want to get people to trust you, to feel welcomed and encouraged? Then start with an open heart using the word “Good” in your greeting.

Bob PHIBBS the Retail Doctor® has helped thousands of businesses in hospitality, manufacturing, service, restaurant and retail since 1994. His clients have ranged from multi-national luxury brands to small business mom and pops. With over thirty years experience beginning in the trenches of retail and extending to senior management positions, Phibbs has been a corporate officer, franchisor and entrepreneur. His speaking presentations are designed to provide practical information in a fun and re-memorable format. His newest product is SalesRX.com, his online retail sales training.

Sales Representatives: How to approach new accounts Whether you cold called a new client, took on an existing account or you are new to an area yourself, you want to stand out.

“Is this a good time?” is how most sales reps begin their interactions, although that should be part of your conversation, it shouldn't be the first thing you say because it makes you sound impatient.

SHOPPING MALL EXPERT |

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Q&A

Even the best tenant mix, marketing calendar and effective communication with both customers and tenants should not be taken for granted. That is why it is important to have your eyes and ears open at all times. Your ability to listen and react to the needs of your employees and consumers, being open to changes and observing the world around you will set you apart from the competition.

Such competences and skills are invaluable

Photo: Cornwall Centre

C

ornwall Centre has over 90 stores and services.

How can you describe the tenant mix of your shopping mall?

is going on at the shopping centre. We recently installed a Mass Communications System that can inform tenants about incidents in the centre as they happen, as it is important for our tenants to be kept up-to-date in a crisis or emergency and not have to hear the information second hand.

Social Media have been putting us closer and closer with our tenants head offices and have really opened up those lines of communication. Sharing information back and forth has enabled us to promote sales faster and more efficiently. It’s really been a great way to stay connected.

Cornwall Centre is anchored by Sears and Hudson’s Bay and contains, as you said, over 90 stores and services, with 45% of them unique to the city. Many of the stores cater to the 18–34 demographic, with a strong focus on the fashion-oriented tenant mix. In the past few years popular retailers, such as Lululemon Athletica, Sephora, and Bath and Body Works, have been added to the mix.

I think that good relations with tenants are one of the keys to the success. How do you care about them?

Is your communication with customers at the same, advanced level?

Exactly, tenant relations are key to the success of any property management team. We hold all of our employees accountable for providing a great experience for our retailers. It isn’t just the property management team’s responsibility to keep the lines of communication open with the retailers, the front-line staff have also worked hard to build relationships and keep their finger on the pulse of the shopping centre. We love working with our retailers and sharing information about success and failures. We produce a bi-monthly newsletter that keeps all tenants informed about what WWW.SHOPPINGMALLEXPERT.COM |

Over the past 5 years we have invested a great deal of time into growing our social media channels and optimizing our website.

While that may sound easy, it is a very time consuming part of the role. So much so that we hired a Marketing Coordinator to help manage our channels on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. Along with answering customers’ questions and keeping the content fresh and relevant, the Marketing Coordinator focuses on updating our website and driving traffic to our blog. When we were first

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Q&A

CANADA

p

EMBRACE CHANGE AS IT HAPPENS Interview with Krista BeBeau, Marketing Director of Cornwall Centre

developing and growing our audience, we enticed them with contests. However, the focus has shifted to content creation, as it was extremely important to keep the audience we captured entertained, informed and engaged to ultimately drive traffic back to the shopping centre. We also partnered with local bloggers to help extend the reach of our communications. All of our information and events can be found on our website, which is also mobile friendly.

How many clients visit your shopping mall yearly?

Cornwall Centre is the largest and most diverse shopping centre in Southern Saskatchewan, hosting more than 8.8 mln visits per year. Considering there are only 1.13 mln people in the entire province, you can see that the centre is a favorite amongst shoppers boasting repeat visits.

Photo: Cornwall Centre

Cornwall Centre is situated in the heart of downtown Regina and is connected to nine of the city’s prime office buildings, and the largest casino and hotel/convention centre in the region.

Regina is the capital city of Saskatchewan, located in the heart of Western Canada.

Cornwall Centre’s Primary Trade Area is the city of Regina and the surrounding area within a 50 km/30 minute drive of the centre (CMA). The Secondary Trade Area is the rural communities within a 150 km/90 minute drive of Regina.

What is your strongest point?

I think that our tenant mix. Cornwall Centre is seen as the Fashion Destination in Southern Saskatchewan. We have the most First-to-Market national retailers in the area, with 45% of them unique to the city. We take pride in providing an excellent shopping experience to all of our customers.

The architecture also attracts attention of visitors. Cornwall Centre is a place with history.

SHOPPING MALL EXPERT |

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Q&A

Photo: Cornwall Centre

45%

Photo: Cornwall Centre

The Cornwall Centre came about as part Today the shopping centre is visited also for entertainment. of an effort to attract business to the of Cornwall Centre’s downtown area in Regina. Like many It’s true. As a Downtown Shopping Centre we get tenants are unique large cities in the 1970’s, Regina once had multiple visits from the same customers many times to the city a downtown core area that was gradually throughout the week. Our Food Court is one of the top becoming a ghost town. The provincial producing Food Courts in Western Canada producing over government committed to supporting a major $1978 psf thanks to the hordes of office workers that visit for renovation of the downtown area which included their daily coffee and lunches. the creation of Cornwall Centre. Part of the uniqueness of the We need to keep things fresh and exciting by hosting various events, shopping centre is the large facade in Centre Court. The façade community groups and displays. Throughout the year we host is from a Bank of Commerce building that was located at 1736 a variety of community groups that entertain our guests. One of our Scarth Street. The bank was designated a heritage property on May marquee events is put on by the Regina multi-cultural association 31, 1978, however in 1979, the bank was demolished to make way to promote the 3 day event called Mosaic. Cornwall Centre hosts for the Cornwall Centre. In order to mitigate the loss of a historic dance groups from all of the pavilions participating in Mosaic and building, a portion of the bank’s façade was salvaged and relocated entertains customers over the lunch hour and on weekends prior to the interior of the mall. Cornwall Centre opened in 1981. to the launch of selling tickets for the event. It’s a great kickoff and provides hours of entertainment. We work with our local symphony

Photo: Cornwall Centre

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Photo: Cornwall Centre

5

keys to success in the retail industry

What guarantees success in today’s demanding retail industry? If I had the answer to that, I would be a very rich woman! [laugh] I believe that success comes when we stop worrying about those factors and things that are out of our control, and focus our attention on all those things we can control. Here are my top five areas to focus on for success:

1| orchestra to provide pop-up concerts throughout the year and bring in musical bands for various VIP events.

2|

Cornwall Centre is known for interesting events. How can you characterize your event calendar?

As I mentioned previously, we strive to keep our customers entertained. Anytime that we can promote a local event or festival in the city, we try to do so. Each month we will have at least one event or contest running and offer space in our Community Booth to various non-profit organizations. Being located in the Heart of Downtown Regina, we are a great place to host media launches and events. In 2013 we hosted Juno Fan Fare which was the largest event ever held at the Shopping Centre. JUNO Fan Fare is a FREE ‘once in a lifetime’ event to meet some of Canada’s biggest music stars. Meet your favourite artist, take a photo, watch live interviews, win prizes and get an autograph! Thousands of screaming fans packed into the Centre for a day they will never forget. This past May we hosted the Saskatchewan Fashion Week Art Installation. Designers from across the province transformed manequines into works of art. Customers were amazed by the display and we hope to make it even bigger this year.

3| 4|

Know your competition. There is so much to learn from your competitor’s success.

What are they doing that you aren’t? More importantly, what mistakes have they made so that you don’t have to?

Change is inevitable, so have an open mind.

Embrace change as it happens or it will leave you behind.

p

Cornwall Centre is a proud community supporter. We allocate a portion of our budget to sponsor and promote various charitable activities that take place in our province. We have a designated space in the shopping centre where we allow non-profit groups to come in and sell raffle tickets, flowers etc. to raise funds for their organization. Each year more than $1,000,000 is raised in Cornwall Centre. Every year we host the Regina CrimeStoppers Charity Golf Tournament where we raise funds to be used as rewards for people who provide TIPS to turn in criminals.

This past Christmas we introduced a new charitable event called CopShop. 20 at-risk youth were paired with a police officer and treated to a fun day at the shopping centre. They were given a $200 gift card, a visit from Santa that included a personalized stocking and a voucher for a free winter jacket from Sears Canada.

It was a heart-warming day that touched the lives of everyone involved. We also provide advertising space on our digital screens

SHOPPING MALL EXPERT |

Keep the lines of communication open. This is true for communicating internally just as it is externally. I like to focus on answering these three questions – What’s New? What’s on Sale? What’s of Value? Answer these questions on a regular basis to keep people informed and excited.

Don’t forget to listen. Are your staff or customers complaining about something?

What is it and how can you change the problem for it to become an opportunity?

5|

Let us go back to your cooperation with NGOs. Is Cornwall Centre involved in any charitable activities?

Hire good people and be good to them.

Your employees are the face of your brand.

Set clear goals and objectives, provide excellent training and empower them to take accountability for their actions.

and the use of Centre Court for major awareness activities. Giving back to our community is a priority for everyone at the Centre.

Can you say that Cornwall Centre is a family-friendly shopping mall? Are there any amenities for families with children?

We have installed a family washroom that gives families more privacy and space while tending to their children than in the regular washroom. In our 5-story parkade we have designated 28

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Q&A

What does the mall market in Canada look like, from your point of view?

Americanization of the Canadian Shopping Centres has impacted the industry as a whole. We are seeing iconic Canadian retailers like Sears struggling to stay afloat while more and more US brands are entering the marketing. The fall of Target left a lot of centres with dark spaces, many that haven’t been filled yet. Online shopping and power centres continue to grow, forcing shopping centres to come up with innovative ideas to fill vacancies and keep customers visiting the centre. Non-traditional mall tenants, such as health clubs, libraries and home improvement stores, are becoming tenants, as owners and landlords reinvent the space in hope of attracting foot traffic and potential sales. For the first time ever, luxury retailers are entering the Canadian market at a rapid pace.

What used to be seen as a market that was overlooked, wealthy Canadians are proving that they are a lucrative market. The next few years will continue to be interesting, as only time can tell what will happen, but that is what we love about this industry, isn’t it?! [laugh].

Photo: Cornwall Centre

parking stalls as “Family Parking”.

These stalls are painted pink and are the closest ones to the mall entrance and paystations. We provide strollers for rent that are in the shape of vehicles that are fun for the children while they are here.

As a downtown shopping centre we tend to cater to the fashion oriented customer, while the community shopping centres focus Photo :C or n their activities toward children. Admittedly, wa ll Ce ntre when the shopping centre was built in 1981, elevators were only installed in the anchor stores with one up and down escalator in the middle of the centre. As strollers are getting larger and larger we have identified the need to install new vertical transportation in the centre and hope to address this problem in the next few years.

What are your aims for 2016?

2015 was a very successful year, sales hit an all-time high exceeding $ 100,000,000 for the first time ever (not including large-format or anchor stores). In order to keep up with the demands of our customers, we need to find a way to expand our land-locked property. In 2015, Cornwall Centre purchased the 7000 sq ft (650 sq m) adjacent building allowing expansion for the first time since the opening.

I have to ask you also about the ecology, which has become very popular recently.

For the first time ever, luxury retailers are entering the Canadian market at a rapid pace

Sustainability is very important also to our Shopping Centre and our Operations team has been working hard to implement a variety of ecological solutions: LED Lighting is being installed in common areas and parkades to reduce electrical consumption A number of Building Automation Systems are used to schedule lighting and HVAC equipment to reduce electrical, natural gas and water consumption outside retail hours to reduce electrical consumption Aluminium and plastics, paper and cardboard and used cooking oils are recycled Construction materials to the greatest extent locally possible are recycled or re-purposed Tenants’ water, natural gas and electricity are monitored to observe consumption and recommendations are made to reduce consumption Our new Store Design Criteria makes it necessary for tenants to develop stores in a more sustainable way by enforcing their compliance in use of LED lighting, low wattage appliances and the use of environmentally friendly paints, finishes and products WWW.SHOPPINGMALLEXPERT.COM |

Plans for redevelopment and renovations are in the works. The leasing team is in working hard to attract a first-to-market retailer to the Centre, which will be the key to a major redevelopment.

Since the opening in 1981, the Centre has only undergone one major renovation to the food court area. The flooring, columns, light fixtures etc. are all original. A renovation would instill excitement for both customers and retailers, and allow traffic and sales to soar to new heights.

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U

nlike the joyful fairy tale worlds that toys represent, the production of toys often occurs against the backdrop of tragic stories. In the real world of the toy industry, millions of workers labor under harsh management in production workshops which may harm their health. They toil 11 hours a day, six days a week, able to see their parents or children in far off villages only once a year. Earning only a paltry minimum wage, workers tolerate deplorable working conditions and their accompanying tragedies in order to make ends meet

THE OTHER SIDE OF THE OF THE TOY TOY INDUSTRY INDUSTRY WWW.SHOPPINGMALLEXPERT.COM |

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EXPERT

because Yaohua refused to abide by Disney’s labor standards, it severed its business relationship with Yaohua.

Another tragedy occurred at a toy supplier to Disney, Mattel, and Walmart called Winson.

A 45-year old woman worker named Hu Nianzhen worked on the Mattel production line.

Co-workers saw a manager yell at Ms. Hu, calling her too slow to keep up with production speed demands. The company threatened to fire her. The manager made her leave the production line and stand in the workshop, where Ms. Hu then cried. When no one was watching, she walked to the fourth floor of the building. Later, everyone heard a thump.

Ms. Hu had jumped off the building to her death. Neither the factory nor Mattel admitted any responsibility for the tragedy. Hu’s family came to the Winson factory demanding an explanation. The company called thugs who severely beat the family members outside the factory, even sending some to the hospital. This compelled the family to sign a so-called compensation agreement for 90,000 RMB ($13,700).

Toy factories embody the shocking distance between the fairy tales and reality of the toy industry The cases above are not exceptions. They are the product of terrible labor conditions throughout the entire toy industry. China Labor Watch (CLW) has investigated more than 100 toy factories, uncovering broad abuses that include hiring discrimination; confiscation of personal IDs; a lack of pre- or post-employment physical exams; occupational safety training that fails to meet legal standards; mandatory signing of training documents; a lack of labor contracts; failure to purchase mandated insurance for worker; excessive overtime work; fines; frequent flipping of day and night shifts; a lack of sufficient protective equipment; safety hazards in the workshop; a lack of legally mandated emergency escape routes; obstacles to normal resignation; no effective grievance mechanisms; no unions which can represent workers’ interests; and serious environmental pollution.

Photo: Fotolia

Vicious competition

Every time I take my two young children to the toy store, I will think of a worker named Liu Pan. At the age of 17, he died while working at a Dongguan-based factory called Yaohua Toys.

Liu Pan had actually began working at Yaohua as a child worker, only 15 years old. Overwork and exhaustion caused him to be dragged into a machine. When media reported on the death of Liu Pan, Disney responded that its production orders constituted no more than 15 percent of Yaohua’s business. Disney went on to say that

Toy factories embody the shocking distance between the fairy tales and reality of the toy industry. The myriad labor abuses listed above are the consequence of toy brands reducing production costs and maximizing profit margins by making manufacturers participate in vicious competition. Toy factories minimize labor costs by reducing legal, fair, and safe labor conditions for their workers. Ultimately, the cost is paid by workers.

The vicious cycle of cost competition on the backs of workers ultimately reveals the emptiness behind brand companies’ ethical purchasing and labor standards. Worldwide auditing to implement the code of business practices of the International Council of Toy Industries (ICTI) was initiated in 2002. Mattel’s code was established in 1997. Yet in 2015, we continued to observe toy workers regularly confronted with illegal and unfair employment practices.

A clear example of this dynamic is a manipulative practice utilized by some toy factories that equates to wage theft. Some toy factories engage in a practice whereby regularly paid working time is “diverted” onto Saturdays, thus reducing weekend overtime pay-double the normal rate-paid to their workers. CLW’s 2015 investigation discovered that just two toy factories employing up to 11,000 workers may be cheating workers out of more than US$3 million a year.

Earning paltry wages, toy workers depend on overtime work, expending their health and lives in 60 to 80-hour workweeks. Even with such massive amounts of overtime, a toy worker may only earn a tiny fraction of the value of each toy she works on. Based on information collected in CLW’s research, if we combine all wage remuneration a toy worker receives, that worker will earn less than 2 cents USD for each toy that she produces.

SHOPPING MALL EXPERT |

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For example, if CLW uncovers labor rights violations at a toy brand’s supplier factory in China, that brand might respond that it only maintains a small number of orders in the plant and is unable to influence the factory’s behavior. The brand will blame the factory itself or could even blame other clients of the factory. If public pressure is too intense, toy companies will claim that the factory failed to respect their code of conduct and, on this basis, end business with the plant. In this way, toy companies can make a public show of standing up for workers’ rights while simultaneously reducing the risks and costs to their own business. Instead of acting with a true sense of responsibility, most major toy companies will use coping and delay tactics when faced with labor violations.

For nearly two decades, human rights abuses have continued in Chinese toy factories supplying to the world’s largest toy brands.

Comparisons of CLW’s 2015 investigative findings with past years’ findings demonstrate that few improvements are occurring, and some conditions have even worsened. The largest benefactors of ongoing abuses are the profitable toy brand and retail companies at the top of global value chains. These companies have the power to influence and control labor conditions in toy factories, and they must bring fundamental reforms to the conditions of workers making their beloved toys.

A worker earns only 1/2000 the value of a toy she produces At Mattel’s Shenzhen-based supplier plant Winson – where Hu Nianzhen died – if a worker does 110 hours of overtime a month, working on 40,320 toys, she will earn $0.016 per toy. The classic Mattel brand toy Rock ‘Em Sock ‘Em, which was being produced at Winson in 2015, retailed on Amazon at $30 in October 2015. This means that each Winson worker earns only 0.05% the market value of the Rock ‘Em Sock ‘Em toy. Workers produce nonstop. Young workers sacrifice their youth and health, and working parents often have a chance to see their families or children only once a year. Despite such sacrifice, a worker earns only 1/2000 the value of a toy she produces.

Chinese toy workers regularly protest against their poor treatment.

In just the second half of 2015, Jet Fair Industrial Limited ( Jingyu Toys), a supplier factory to Hasbro, Mattel, and Walmart, experienced a strike of about 100 workers who demanded severance compensation and insurance back pay from the factory before its impending relocation. The action was ultimately unsuccessful, and some workers were detained by police.

In August 2015, at Ever Force, a Mattel supplier plant, the owner ran away after the company's business stalled. Hundreds of workers were unable to obtain three months' wages and four months' insurance contributions, an amount totaling about $700,000. This drove workers to risk a march on the local government to demand assistance. The government dispatched a large contingent of riot police and K-9 units to suppress the workers' action and compel them to accept partial compensation. In a weak position, most of the toy workers had no choice but to “discount” their labor. The Wall Street Journal later reported that Mattel had already known months before the strike that the Ever Force factory was in a critical state.

In September, a Disney toy supplier based in Shenzhen closed down, causing hundreds of workers, already owed about $1.5 million in severance and insurance compensation from the factory, to lose their jobs. Instead of protesting in China, where such actions are prohibited, some of the toy workers traveled to Hong Kong, where they demonstrated at Disneyland to protest Disney's disregard for workers' rights.

While toy brands derive financial benefit from cost suppression through supplier competition, they also take advantage of the risk mitigation afforded through sourcing. Despite their business practices contributing to labor abuses, toy brands attempt to distance themselves from factories that act in unethical or illegal ways. The multinationals that do not directly employ workers making their products often rely on a contract relationship when blaming factories for poor or illegal labor conditions.

Qiang LI Founder and executive director of CLW Before moving to the United States in 2000, Qiang Li played a leading role in organizing networks of labor activists, researching factory labor conditions, and conducting worker education and legal assistance programs in China. Since founding CLW in 2000, he has led the organization to become a well-trusted source of information on Chinese labor conditions, the labor movement, and corporate supply chains in China. CLW’s investigative reports regularly appear in publications like the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, BBC, and others. Qiang Li maintains close contact with activists, academics, and other colleagues in China and has guided programs at CLW aimed to directly assist workers and activists through training and advocacy. Qiang Li has testified on Chinese labor rights in the U.S. Congress four times. He has also contributed opinion pieces to China Youth Daily, South China Morning Post, Nanfeng Chuang, and The Seattle Post-Intelligencer and has been interviewed and referenced in The New York Times, Washington Post, The Wall Street Journal, BBC, CNN, and others. In 2004, Qiang Li served as a visiting scholar at The Center for the Study of Human Rights at Columbia University.

The question of responsibility Many toy companies divide their toy orders among dozens or hundreds of factories in order to ensure that their orders in any given factory are only a fraction of that factory’s total orders – usually no more than 20%. This relatively small portion of orders transforms into toy brands’ argument for why it does not share responsibility for poor labor conditions.

WWW.SHOPPINGMALLEXPERT.COM |

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Interview with Christopher Tang, Chief Executive Officer, Commercial and Greater China, Frasers Centrepoint Limited

Photo: Frasers Centrepoint Malls

AN OASIS

OF EXCITING RETAIL A

great location in green area near water, attractive recreational areas, a 24/7 supermarket, cinema with 1500 seats and almost 30% of the tenant mix for restaurants – the Waterway Point shopping center knows how to meet all of the expectations of its customers. No wonder the mall attracts both tenants and visitors. Only during the first two weeks, the center was visited by 1.6 mln people

SHOPPING MALL EXPERT |

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SINGAPORE

Photo: Frasers Centrepoint Malls

Q&A

Waterway Point is a four-storey retail and lifestyle hub. Could you please explain the origin of the name of this project?

Launched as the flagship waterfront retail icon in Punggol, the name Waterway Point was inspired by the vision of Punggol Town as “A Waterfront EcoTown of the Tropics”. Punggol Town is located at the North-Eastern corner of Singapore and features an 8.7 km-long Coastal Promenade called the Punggol Waterway.

Photo: Frasers Centrepoint Malls

Waterway Point sits strategically along the Punggol Waterway, and is a lifestyle hub made more unique by its location. The man-made water way is a picturesque riverine park that integrates three key design elements – greenery, water and people – in its social and communal spaces, and celebrates Singapore’s heritage with its kelong bridge (a kelong is a wooden structure built above the sea used for commercial fishing).

Drawing inspiration from the internationally awardwinning Punggol Waterway (Global Superior Achievement Award from the International Water Association (IWA); Grand Prize for Excellence by the American Academy of Environmental Engineers (AAEE), a first by an Asian country for an environmentally sustainable project), we seek to provide a new wave of waterfront shopping and dining experiences, that also encourages green living and social interaction along the water’s edge.

Waterway Point has been envisioned to provide a first-of-its-kind suburban waterfront retail and lifestyle experience. Visitors can experience a combination of social spaces that encourage interaction and provide a feeling of tranquillity and relaxation. They will also find alluring design elements of the waterway in the interior and exterior façades of the mall, and enjoy a seamless transition between the mall and the nature park.

Q&A

Waterway Point is jointly owned by Frasers Centrepoint Limited, Far East Organization and Sekisui House Ltd, and is managed

by Frasers Centrepoint Malls.

Competition on the retail market in Singapore is very strong. How does Waterway Point distinguish itself from the other shopping malls?

Waterway Point enables visitors to extend their park and waterfront experience conveniently from the Punggol Waterway into the mall. Unlike other malls, this is the first suburban mall to provide easy and open accessibility to and from a nature park.

Complementing its geographical location is the mall’s design, tenant mix and variety of wellness programmes throughout the year. Waterway Point features around 150 bicycle lots available for cyclists coming in from Waterway Park, and Singapore’s first pavement grooves that are designed to allow cyclists to manoeuver their bicycles easily up and down staircases outside the mall. This creates a more seamless connection and effortless experience for visitors arriving from the nature park in the vicinity.

Beyond just a retail space, Waterway Point breaks free from other cookie cutter shopping malls. We envisaged a retail mall design that provides a holistic retail experience, where senses and emotions are invigorated while indulging in retail therapy within the mall that extends into our playground facilities and convenient transport network connections.

Yet another feature is how the mall brings the outdoors indoors with its design. Waterway Point creates a seamless extension of the nature park experience at Punggol Waterway via the mall’s

Photo: Frasers Centrepoint Malls

connecting 24-hour boardwalk, a unique feature unlike any other in Singapore malls.

The mall’s well-known F&B brands offer stellar views of the Punggol Waterfront for visitors to enjoy unique and memorable dining experiences. Visitors can choose from the likes of award winning Taiwanese restaurant Din Tai Fung and casual French dining at The French Bistro Table to satisfy their palates.

Waterway Point had a soft launch at the beginning of the year. How many clients would you like to attract during the first year of operation?

Q&A

Residents and visitors from the neighbourhood can use the boardwalk to access the bus interchange and trains (known as Mass Rapid Transit or MRT in Singapore). Punggol MRT (Mass Rapid Transit) and LRT (Light Rail Transit) train stations are retail outlets located at the entrance of the mall and offer a seamless path to the Waterway Park.

We also recognised the role that Waterway Point Could you please tell us more about should play in bringing the community together and the exterior of the centre and design so The Plaza and the Waterfront Promenade were inspiration?

F&B outlets conceptualised, serving as community focal points As Waterway Point is a modern mixed-use for residents and visitors to Punggol. They also development located in a relatively less built-up provide a closer connection with nature, extending precinct, we had to ensure that every aspect was the mall’s grounds into the nature park. well-integrated for the diverse lifestyle needs of the Ever mindful of the changing lifestyle needs community. This meant establishing a fully-serviced of the residents in this new neighbourhood, neighbourhood with essential services, amenities bicycle lots mainly populated by younger working couples and connection to the public transportation system, who appreciate round the clock convenience, the so that Waterway Point would serve as a landmark mall’s tenancy mix included a vibrant mix of retail, dining and destination for a new town like Punggol. leisure options, such as a 24-hour supermarket and a cinema with After careful consideration of the public transport nodes leading extended operating hours that go beyond midnight. to and from the mall, we enhanced connectivity to the mall’s The mall was also designed to complement its surroundings, with East and West Wings by designing a 24-hour urban boardwalk. the sleek, organic curvature of the mall’s facade mimicking the natural flow of the nearby waterway. Similar design elements are carried through into the mall, from the reflective ceiling panels that evoke visions of ripples on a water surface to the clever use of dynamic lights that mimic water droplets.

Waterway Point has a catchment area of close to 600,000 people, of which half fall within the primary catchment area. In the first two weeks of trading alone, Waterway Point saw over 1.6 m visitors at the mall. Over the next 12 months we foresee the traffic stabilising at no less than 25 m.

140 60

150

Among the tenants are H&M, Uniqlo and Times Bookstore to name but a few. The tenant mix looks very attractive.

It’s true. Over 140 retail and 60 F&B outlets are housed within thematic zones (e.g. Family & Kids, Waterfront Dining and High Street Fashion) designed to offer visitors of all ages a tailored retail experience and easy orientation around the mall. With close to 600,000 urban dwellers living and working in the primary and secondary catchment area, a diverse mix of tenants were required to meet their lifestyle needs. 43% of the mall is dedicated to retail with international brands such as H&M, Uniqlo, Laneige, Daiso, The Body Shop and Cotton On located at their doorstep. For the new generation of convenience shoppers, necessities are within reach day or night with a 24-hour supermarket. The 30,000 sq ft outfit is the largest outlet serving this catchment area. With 15% of the balance tenants focused on entertainment and lifestyle, those who enjoy late-night movies or a trip to the arcade are also well provided for.

Photo: Frasers Centrepoint Malls

Over the next 12 months we foresee the traffic stabilising at no less than 25 million Photo: Frasers Centrepoint Malls

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Photo: Frasers Centrepoint Malls

Q&A

Foodies will also find something interesting for themselves.

Residents from this area typically prefer dining out after a busy day at work, and hence the trade mix at Waterway Point sees almost 30% of its tenants focused on offering local and international dining concepts or quick serve food options.

For example, Waterway Point features Social Square, by Ministry of Food, a chic concept restaurant and wine post that offers Japanese-European fusion cuisine and allday breakfasts. Shoppers can look forward to enjoying affordable wines at the al fresco dining area overlooking Punggol Waterway.

Apart from award winning restaurant Din Tai Fung, restaurants that also provide unique Waterfront views include Japanese-French fusion restaurant Miam Miam and, high quality Hokkaido cuisine from Ichiban Boshi. Celebrating our local favourites, the food court Cookhouse by Koufu is a modern-day version of Singapore’s famous hawker centres, which not only has a vast selection of all the favourite local dishes under one roof, but also provides a nostalgic Kampong – themed setting and atmosphere for visitors and families to enjoy affordable local dishes. For a quick bite, visitors may also customise their own burgers at local joint, Burger-Up or grab a cup of frozen yogurt at Llaollao.

You mentioned the Family & Kids thematic zone. Could you please tell us more about this concept? Why are amenities for families so important to you?

Many young families have set up homes in Punggol, and we believe our patrons will identify with Waterway Point as a new destination for interactive, family-centric activities in Singapore. The Family & Kids Zone on Level 2 is dedicated to a 17,000 sq ft childcare facility, various learning and enrichment centres, paediatric health services as well as a fairy tale-themed play area, Wonderland, where children can widen their imagination and have fun together. By

43%

of Waterway Point is dedicated to retail Photo: Frasers Centrepoint Malls

Photo: Waterway Point

Photo: Frasers Centrepoint Malls

Photo: Frasers Centrepoint Malls

3×R: REJUVENATING, REFRESHING, RELEVANT REJUVENATING

REFRESHING

RELEVANT

Nestled amid the tranquillity of nature, cycling routes and a beautiful waterway, the mall provides a great way for families to start and end their day. Waterway Point was a highly anticipated development, especially to thousands of young families that reside within the suburban precinct.

Whether it is an evening stroll along the promenade or morning yoga by the waterfront, the mall aims to provide new indoor and outdoor activities to promote community wellness, and presents one-stop convenience at the residents’ doorstep.

Shoppers can look forward to relaxing and enjoying the picturesque landscape across the Punggol Waterway as they experience rejuvenation of the mind, body and soul.

As Singapore’s first integrated waterfront residential and retail development, a leisure destination for Punggol’s residents and visitors across the island, and the only suburban mall to connect seamlessly to a nature park, Waterway Point offers a unique waterfront experience away from the hustle and bustle of the city centre.

The mall also includes refreshing features and amenities, such as alfresco waterfront dining, a 10-screen, 1,500-seat cinema with an IMAX theatre, a 20,000 sq ft Child Care Centre, a 24-hour supermarket, two wet play areas inclusive of 1 outdoor amphitheatre with year round activities, and Wonderland - a free play zone for pre-schoolers.

Many young families have set up homes in Punggol, and we believe our patrons will identify with Waterway Point as a new destination for interactive, family-centric activities in Singapore because the mall has been developed with their needs and convenience in mind. As an integral part of the community, Waterway Point offers an oasis of exciting retail and dining options and communal gathering spaces to foster community ties, encouraging visitors to let their hair down and enjoy some downtime.

Food connoisseurs, nature-lovers, active bodies, late night revellers and families will also find their own sweet spots amidst the tranquil surroundings and bond over culinary delights.

REFRES Photo: Frasers Centrepoint Malls

Q&A

Waterway Point is also mindful about giving back to the families in our community. In March 2016 it will play host to Frasers Centrepoint Mall’s charity event Play It Forward. The initiative comprises Singapore’s largest ball pool and a mini obstacle course for the young and young at heart, aimed at raising funds for the local Family Service Centres that provide social support for families facing difficulties.

The charity ball pool is not just a chance for adults and children to dive in and play in an “endless” sea of balls. With increasingly hectic lifestyles, it allows friends and families to let loose and spend some quality time together. More importantly, it is a way for participants to give back to the community by “playing it forward” and helping the less fortunate.

2017, the Family & Kids Zone will be further enhanced with the opening of Happy Park, a large wet and dry outdoor playground with a panoramic view of the waterway.

Popular brands for children are also conveniently located here, including H&M’s latest 17,000 sq ft duplex store which features an enlarged section with clothing and accessories for children under 12 years old. Other family-friendly establishments also include the 16,315 sq ft concept food court Cookhouse by Koufu, family diner Swensen’s and the largest Times Bookstore in Singapore, spanning over 7,300 sq ft, that promises an educational adventure with its very own dedicated childrens’ section.

Families will also be drawn to The Cove at Basement 2, a hybrid amphitheatre and wet play area which features water shooters mimicking the intensity of rain. While the children enjoy themselves, parents can relax at the surrounding eateries and fast food outlets or indulge in a variety of shopping and entertainment options throughout the mall.

The mall’s leisure activities range from weekly kick-boxing and circuit-based workouts, to yoga, skipping and cycling. To encourage stronger community wellness at the mall, we are also collaborating with National agencies, such as Singapore’s Health Promotion Board, to co-organise regular heart-pumping workouts.

For me something absolutely special is that clients can learn more about the heritage of Punggol in Waterway Point.

According to Punggol 21+, the government’s blueprint for the precinct’s redevelopment, Punggol is a waterfront town of the 21st Century, featuring an integrated transport network and clustered amenities, and supported by commercial centres with

Photo: Frasers Centrepoint Malls r :F oto Ph as

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int Ma

lls

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Q&A Photo: Frasers Centrepoint Malls

Almost 30% of the tenant mix are focused on offering local and international dining concepts or quick serve food options green landscapes and a waterway running through the estate. The precinct has rich heritage that more residents and visitors should be aware of.

To instil a stronger sense of belonging, we embarked on marking another milestone for Waterway Point with a community project, Creating Punggol Memories. This will be presented as a kaleidoscope of mini murals celebrating the past, present and future of the Punggol district. More than 400 Punggol residents contributed drawings which will be reproduced as designs on mosaic tiles. The installation piece is under the artistic direction of a local architect-turned-artist, Mr. Sun Yu-Li, known for his collaborative community arts projects. The masterpiece will be ready for public viewing at Waterway Point’s amphitheatre wall in April 2016.

As you said, Waterway Point is located in a very special area. How do you care about ecology and environment?

Waterway Point and its Town Plaza facing Punggol Waterway received the Green Mark GoldPlus Award Certification from Singapore’s Building and Construction Authority (BCA).

The Green Mark scheme recognises developments which promote environmental awareness, to achieve a sustainable built environment by incorporating best practices in environmental design and construction, and the adoption of green building technologies. (The BCA Green Mark scheme rates developments according to five key criteria: Energy efficiency, water efficiency, environmental protection, indoor environmental quality, and

Photo: Frasers Centrepoint Malls

other innovative green features that contribute to better building performance).

The project was awarded the Green Mark GoldPlus Certification for the following features: Green Transportation: Seamless connectivity to various public transportation nodes, a cycling infrastructure with electric charging stations, and a carpark guidance system.

Green Design: Various energy saving design elements, including regenerative lifts, LED lights and occupancy sensors, water fittings for high water efficiency, paints and adhesives with low Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs), recycled horticultural compost for landscaping, compost bins, and a siphonic rainwater discharge system. The building envelope also minimises heat gain into the building through high performance glazing.

Green Construction & Operation: Low Concrete Usage Index (CUI), environmental management plan, CONQUAS certification, as well as highly efficient home appliances, including air conditioning with a system efficiency of 0.624kW/ton and design cooling load for 138W/sq m.

Overall, the project is able to reduce approximately 1,460 tonnes of CO2 emissions and 21% water savings annually.

1.6 mln

visitors in the first 2 weeks

600,000

people – catchment area

20,000 sq ft Child Care Centre

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WILL THE BEACON TECHNOLOGY TRANSFORM THE RETAIL SECTOR IN 2016?

The beacon technology can flourish in retail and leisure by making consumers feel ‘in the know’ and ahead of the game. For customers, beacons can usher in a convenience era of queuejumping, pre-ordering, customisation, loyalty points, digital tabs and pop-up menus, whilst remembering customer preferences

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Photo: Fotolia

A

URLs without an app. Google will incorporate Eddystone into its Google Now app to bring up things like menu cards in restaurants.

Retailers face something of a psychological battle to convince customers that they are in control, but the necessity of establishing a Wi-Fi and a Bluetooth connection should be promoted as a safeguard against unwanted promotional intrusions. The twin challenge for stores is to provide connectivity as well as a compelling reason to opt in. Nevertheless, we expect beacon technology and contextual marketing to spread across retail and leisure.

s part of the Mintel Consumer Trends 2016 predictions, our team of global expert analysts have identified beacon technology as a key consumer trends set to impact the retail and leisure industry in 2016 and beyond. These intentionally conspicuous devices are designed to attract attention to specific locations and can welcome people to stores, inform them of offers and remind them of items they need to buy or have put on a wish list. This isn’t just about offers or information, however, these services can identify needs and connect people with sales assistants immediately to create a new level of responsive and interactive customer service. It will also give stores and brands a new level of granularity in terms of customer data.

Why will consumers buy into this?

Connectivity still has some way to go in Europe, with Mintel predicting that the number of subscribers to broadband and 3G services will continue to grow strongly in 2016. In Spain and France it is set to increase by over 11%, while in Germany it will grow by over 8%. The uptake of beacon technology can be part of that story. We ultimately believe that customers will embrace beacons because they meet their desires for convenience, personalisation and gamification.

What’s happening in 2016?

Google’s open-sourced beacon format Eddystone (Android and iOS) will bolster the services already available from Apple’s iBeacon since 2013, thereby opening the technology to more consumers. In contrast to iBeacons, Eddystone allows users in stores to receive promotional

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EXPERT

47%

like ads tailored to their personal interests (in the UK)

33%

of UK 16-34 year-olds say they would be willing to give brands they like access to ‘real-time’ locations to receive more relevant offers

30%

of UK female 16-24 year-olds are interested in personalised special offers sent to their smartphone when shopping in-store

19%

of UK internet users see receiving a pop-up on their smartphone while near a store as intrusive

16%

on our habits or locations. Beacons can meet the demands of those 55% of US primary grocery shoppers who say they’d like to see more promotions and coupons that are customised to their particular shopping habits. They can also appeal to those 16% of UK consumers who agree that they compete with family and friends to gain as many loyalty points as possible.

We’re already attuned towards the fun, competitive thrift of discounts and beacons suggest a way of turning this into a fun, real-time, gamified and shared pursuit.

Beacons have potential because they can appeal to a young mindset, nurtured on notions of digital individuality and post-recession budget savviness. This is encapsulated by the 62% of American teens who say that their favourite brand makes them feel “in-the-know”. If this can be achieved, the potential audience ready to play and uncover secret geotagged discounts or offers is huge and not confined to the younger end of the market. Three in five UK consumers have purchased some form of computer game at some point, with 51% having done so within the last six months.

of UK consumers compete with family and friends to gain as many loyalty points as possible

Where next?

Beacons can build loyalty and offer in-store sat navs, discounts, personalised alerts and mobile payment options, enabling staff to focus on service rather than transactional elements. Stores are able to track customer hot spots, dwell time and measure the effectiveness of promotional campaigns and store layouts.

The technology can also provide more detailed information for loyalty apps. There is an opportunity here to use location and profiling data to deliver more responsive and personalised face-to-face customer service, whilst geotagging can be used to introduce gamified ‘easter egg’ hunt style rewards in store.

Beacons will become more plentiful and more accessible in 2016. Once consumers realise that they are the ones in control, the technology will be embraced for the convenience, exclusivity, economy and serendipity it can deliver.

However, we are undoubtedly at a juncture where consumers need to be educated and reassured as to their privacy whilst wooed with incentives. Mintel research reveals that 19% of UK internet users see receiving a pop-up on their smartphone while near a store as intrusive, compared with a mere 9% who think it is useful – which poses a clear challenge.

Unsurprisingly, it’s Millennials who will be the early adopters and they show warmer, more encouraging attitudes towards beacon technology. Some 33% of UK 16–34 year-olds say they would be willing to give brands they like access to ‘real-time’ locations to receive more relevant offers. Meanwhile, 30% of UK female 16–24 year-olds are interested in personalised special offers sent to their smartphone when shopping in-store.

The key here will be to overcome privacy concerns while offering savings and convenience. After all, Mintel research finds that whilst 58% of UK consumers feel negative about pop-up ads, 21% will pay attention to internet ads if they offer a deal or discount and 47% like ads tailored to their personal interests. It’s down to retailers to use beacons to match our desire for time and cost savings, as well as a degree of playfulness and serendipity.

Beacons can also appeal by recognising us as individuals with specific customer service needs or by making us privy to specific ‘secret’ offers based

Richard COPE Senior Trends Consultant at Mintel He works as a trends analyst, consultant, presenter and facilitator on bespoke client projects. As a globally recognised leading trends commentator, he is regularly called on by media worldwide to provide insight and analysis into consumer trends.

TO RECEIVE THE FULL COPY OF MINTEL’S FIVE KEY EUROPEAN CONSUMER TRENDS FOR 2016 FREE OF CHARGE, PLEASE VISIT MINTEL.COM

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ICSC European Outlet Conference 22 March 2016 Business Design Centre, London, United Kingdom In Association with:

Creating Destinations Learn what attracts retailers to a particular scheme and crucially, what are the deal-breakers

Challenge your approach to marketing to capitalise on the luxury travelling customers and the weekend destination appeal

Be inspired by the latest technology innovations which enable retailers to gain consumer insights, anticipate their needs and ultimately achieve more sales

ICSC Global Partner

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FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE VISIT WWW.ICSC.ORG/2016EOS OR CALL +44 20 7976 3100 #ICSCEUROPE

Q&A

LITHUANIA

CONSTANT ANALYSIS OF NEW

OPPORTUNITIES Interview with Guido Wolf, Director, Group Development, Zabolis Partners/Baltic RED

Each market is different, has its own laws and demands. The expansion of international companies on new markets requires proper, diligent preparations. It is no different in case of Baltic states where the retail sector seems to be extremely demanding and may be full of surprises. Baltic Red explains what are the main characteristics of this market

Baltic RED is one of the largest commercial real estate development and management companies in the Baltic states. In your opinion, what guarantees success in today unstable economic and very competitive retail industry?

without a strong local team on their side. This is where we come in – across the industries our Group is active in.

Today Baltic RED is responsible for more than 600,000 sq m of local and foreign investors’ properties. What are your flagship projects?

Expertise and focus. Baltic RED is a specialist for retail real estate in the Baltics and Belarus. Our track does include large office and logistics buildings but the core of all our activities circles around retail. We stand on several legs, managing assets of related parties, but also having grown a strong reputation that lets us be selected by external clients. The Baltic market can appear intransparent, even incestuous, making it surprisingly challenging for outsiders

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MEGA in Kaunas is our flagship asset, which we developed and opened 10 years ago, in December 2005. It’s widely known for its unique 10 m high marine aquarium with hundreds of exotic fish and sea sharks, one of the most spectacular sights in the country.

In combination with outstanding marketing activities, it attracts lots of families to the shopping centre. MEGA is currently undergoing a major extension with new retailers, and an extended

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leisure offer, and large sports and health centre as well as a new children edutainment centre with a unique concept. The centre is also getting a completely new façade. It was the first Lithuanian super-regional shopping centre outside Vilnius, and after rejuvenation, it will be the largest again.

Customers in the Baltics are very fashionconscious and keen on brands

to constantly provide added value to the customers, managing access, and continually improving appearance.

We regularly assess each centre’s standing in its market, and also ensure we routinely review a destination from a customer’s perspective, to make sure nothing is missing in their experience.

How do you try to increase the attractiveness of shopping malls managed by Baltic RED?

Baltic RED also develops its own projects. What are the biggest challenges in development process in your opinion?

The essential input is for the management team to be consistently working on the retail mix, in order to keep the centre attractive.

But equally important are strong and targeted marketing initiatives SHOPPING MALL EXPERT |

Photo: Baltic Red

In a competitive environment for retail generally and shopping centres specifically, it is frequently challenging to achieve the investment

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Q&A

return targets of our investors. What helps us is the significant expertise we’ve built up and the relationships we have formed. We engage stakeholder beyond the bare legal necessity, to ensure our developments become part of the local communities and serve their needs.

How do you choose new locations for your new investments? What is the most important to you in this regard?

In complex urban environments, the old adage location, location, location is no longer sufficient to make a property a success. An asset at a top location will not deliver if access is insufficient. Plenty of schemes in the market unfortunately prove this point. Furthermore, retail destinations must be created around demand. The requirements of the local demographic may well be changing, so any property needs to be designed with flexibility in mind, allowing upgrades and adjustments at a later point in time.

Among your services there is also lease. How can you describe your tenant selection strategy?

Beyond providing a carefully selected choice of well-known and widely recognised core tenants, customers need to find something unique for their leisure time at any shopping centre. We are in the process of enlarging restaurant areas, opening trendy pop-up stores, and creating various areas inside centres that cater to different customer types, e.g. singles with higher incomes, families with children, etc. These trends can be observed internationally and are certainly relevant in the Baltics, too.

Photo: Baltic Red

How do you evaluate your cooperation with retailers?

The Baltics are an increasingly affluent region, where consumers are ready to pay a certain premium for unique products they can identify with WWW.SHOPPINGMALLEXPERT.COM |

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The retail market is in a constant evolution; nevertheless, we have been developing and maintaining our relationships with key retailers for more than a decade. Paying close attention to the terms of contracts, constructive communication and a partnership approach lead to reliability and long-term mutual cooperation. New contractual relations are guided by the same principles. The key for successful results is active and continuous value creation for each other: shopping centre – tenant, tenant – shopping centre.

Your shopping malls attract both local and international retail brands.

What, in your opinion, is the right balance between them?

Q&A

The relevance of international retailers is directly correlated to the size of a shopping centre. A neighbourhood centre focussing nearby resident with a super- or hypermarket as anchor tenant generates tremendous value with small and local retailers, and can distinguish itself by housing quality and unique bakery and butchers. For any regional centre, a wide range of international brands is crucial, especially in fashion categories. For us, the majority of apparel stores should be international, because our customers in the Baltics are very fashion-conscious, and keen on brands. In other categories, e.g. gastronomy or interior, local retailers usually provide better value and are generally accepted.

Today your company is present in Baltic States and in Belarus. What are your future plans?

Photo: www.balticred.lv

We are always open to considering new opportunities, though, to be honest, we do quite like our expert position as a large fish in a small pond. Over the next years you may see us become more active in Scandinavian countries. We might also join a larger alliance and act as their Baltic representation.

What advice would you give to retailers who want to enter the Baltic States market?

The Baltics are an increasingly affluent region, where consumers are ready to pay a certain premium for unique products they can identify with. Good service on the shop floor can certainly still surprise shoppers. Store locations should be chosen carefully, but, especially in Lithuania, there are a number of towns outside the three capitals that can be attractive for well-run concepts.

Photo: www.balticred.lv

Baltic Red: Photo: www.balticred.lv

More than

600,000 sq m

of local and foreign investors’ properties

500 mln Euro – the total value of properties managed by Baltic Red

Photo: Baltic Red

More than

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employees

Q&A

Do you still see the demand for new shopping malls and new retail brands in Baltic states?

I must point out that there’s a clear difference between down-town locations and edge-of-town centres. Downtown we have a younger audience popping in and out as part of their daily routine, and shopping centre managers need to focus on creating a flexible, ever-changing environment to keep the location relevant. The larger centres primarily draw customers for some specific aspect of their retail or leisure offer. At the same time, there, too, the role of stationary retail is changing, with each store turning into a sort of brand flagship, advertising a larger offer that is available online.

There are still neighbourhoods under-served by supermarketanchored community centres across the region. For new large regional and super-regional centres the chances of a successful entry are low. The Baltics already have some of the highest ratios for shopping-centre space per capita. New brands that are either widely recognised or bring a unique value proposition are certainly much in demand, and will also not find it too difficult to get into appropriate spaces.

What is Baltic RED involved in at the moment?

You have already mentioned that the Baltic market can appear intransparent. How would you define the current momentum of the retail sector in Baltic States?

At this point, the extension of MEGA in Kaunas, which we will open this autumn, is at the centre of our attention. We are also preparing to provide services to a large, international portfolio this year. We are constantly analysing opportunities for new developments and investments, so we never know what comes up that suits our requirements.

We have seen a number of well-known retail operators expanding in the Baltic states. H&M will open its 20th store here this year, where it had none four years ago. The region’s first IKEA store is doing very well in Vilnius. Finnish centre managers envy us for the wide choice of international retailers we have at our centres. But the limited size of the market means the overall retail offer is still less than what shoppers are served with in Warsaw or Berlin. We predict an increasing number of new brands flagship stores in the Baltics to support their e-commerce operations.

At the end – what challenges and issues keep you awake at night?

We have a very good team dedicated to foreseeing any number of eventualities, so there’s little that worries me to the extent of disturbing my sleep (laugh). Our region is fairly small and, because of that, easily influenced by external effects, for example interest rate changes. We are very fortunate that as of 2015 all three Baltic states are using Euro as a common currency, so exchange rate uncertainties are definitely no longer a worry for us.

Today retail industry is changing very quickly.

Would you say that shopping malls are now about something more than just shopping?

Photo: Baltic Red

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ICSC EUROPEAN

MARKETING

CONFERENCE 8-10 JUNE 2016 Berlin, Germany

AUTHENTICITY

FOR MORE INFORMATION AND TO REGISTER:

Faking it won’t make it.

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How to market what is real.

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Q&A

PUERTO RICO

ELEVATE

THE SHOPPING

Photo: The Mall of San Juan

EXPERIENCE

Interview with José Ayala Bonilla, General Manager of The Mall of San Juan

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Q&A Photo: themallofsanjuan.com

The Mall of San Juan is the first upscale mall in Puerto Rico. Where did the inspiration for this project come from?

For many commercial facilities, the key to their success lies in attractive location.

It is also the case with The Mall of San Juan which is located on the beautiful Island of Puerto Rico. The shopping center’s architecture draws from the rich culture and heritage of the place but in a modern and interesting fashion. The Mall of San Juan is much more than just a temple of consumption

Puerto Rico’s first upscale shopping center, The Mall of San Juan, features a singular collection of retailers, more than 60% of which are unique-to-market, and the Caribbean’s only Nordstrom and Saks Fifth Avenue. The 650,000 sq ft shopping center was developed through a partnership between Taubman and New Century Development, Inc. “The Mall of San Juan will elevate the shopping experience in Puerto Rico by offering everything from the most sought-after luxury and contemporary brands to incomparable dining and entertainment,” has said Robert S. Taubman, chairman, president and CEO of Taubman Centers. The Mall has certainly filled a need that the consumer of the island had.

On your website we can read that “The Mall of San Juan is designed to reflect the rich culture and heritage of San Juan, but with a fresh, contemporary twist”. Could you tell us more about the architecture and about the exterior of the centre?

Designed with the San Juan and Caribbean lifestyle in mind, The Mall of San Juan showcases a premium collection of fashion and

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lifestyle retailers in an environment that is innovative yet relaxed, casual yet elegant. Rich and warm natural materials, such as stone, wood accents and luminous textures abound, while endless curved planes enhance the soothing, naturally flowing environment and echo the beaches of Puerto Rico. Numerous water features and comfortable furnishings in bold, Caribbean-inspired colors enliven public gathering places.

The highlight of the mall concourse is the distinctive, continuous serpentine skylight with a moray frit pattern, which filters the abundant sunshine into an intriguing play of light for visitors and creates a pleasant, relaxing aura.

The skylight utilizes high-performance glass to reduce heat gain and energy costs while enhancing customer comfort. The special skylight glass maximizes the natural light and offers a filtered view of the blue sky above.

What about the restaurants design?

Four exterior-facing restaurants will flank the central north entry.

Second-level restaurants have vibrant upper-level dining areas on the terrace, with a view to the lagoon and overlooking the porte cochere. The restaurants will be unique branded environments with a variety of distinctive facades and feature exterior dining patios with fountains, lush landscaping and dramatic lighting.

Photo: The Mall of San Juan

Designed to be both energy efficient and sustainable, The Mall of San Juan embraces many practices for ongoing environmentally friendly operation The third-level Dining Terrace offers a series of casual dining experiences with an abundance of outdoor seating, an entertainment stage and views of the scenic San Juan skyline.

Exterior landscape design also looks very interesting.

It’s true. The Mall of San Juan’s exterior landscape design is fluid and colorful, incorporating paved and planted ribbon-shaped elements that evoke the flowing patterns of the San Juan coastline.

Showcasing the tropical setting, the mall grounds utilize a full

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range of natural indigenous plant materials. A variety of palm trees, hedges, wall vines and prominent planters are set within a curvilinear pattern, serving as vertical gardens around the mall.

The tropical, resort-inspired interior landscaping continues the look and feel of the exterior plantings with emphasis on smaller accents and occasional bursts of color.

What is it that makes The Mall of San Juan stand out in comparison to other shopping malls?

We are bringing something entirely different to the market. The Mall of San Juan is the dominant, upscale shopping destination that offers everything from exclusive luxury brands to relevant, contemporary retailers at all price points.

Approx. 60% of your tenants are new brands in Puerto Rico. What is the key to having a good relationship with them?

The key to a good relationship with them is transparent communication and concordance of objectives.

An important part of The Mall of San Juan are exquisite dining and entertainment.

We believe it’s very important today. The Mall of San Juan has amazing restaurants of different types, for every taste, like: Kona

Grill, American Cut Bar & Grill, BRIO Tuscan Grille, Il Nuovo Mercato, Burger & Beer Joint, Bazille, Habitant and Sophie’s. For our clients, the first class restaurants and the live performances that take place in the Dining Terrace are a great part of the allure of The Mall. The Mall of San Juan also offers seasonal entertainment, like Santa’s Academy, an experience that has been giving children a holiday memory that will last a lifetime, as well as permanent entertainment for kids thanks to the beautiful playground. Santa’s Academy is a unique holiday experience that lets each child become an important member of Santa’s flight crew.

So we can say that The Mall of San Juan is an ideal place for the whole families.

Exactly (laugh). We are completely a family friendly shopping center. In our Children’s play area, sponsored by Royal Caribbean and Hospital Auxilio Mutuo, and the first one inside a shopping mall in Puerto Rico, kids can enjoy climbing on and playing among the soft, oversized native sea life species that promote good health and fun.

A part of the entertainment are also engaging and unique events.

We have a lot of interesting events. One of our main sponsors, Jet Blue, offers an exciting variety of entertainment on the Grand Court stage. Visitors of the Dining Terrace can enjoy monthly

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Designed to be both energy efficient and sustainable, The Mall of San Juan embraces many practices for ongoing environmentally friendly operation. In the field of energy conservation: a highefficiency chilled water system, LED lighting systems used predominantly throughout the interior and exterior, painted parking deck interiors to reduce light level requirements and smart building control systems to maximize efficiency and coordination.

Green Building Practices, such as high-efficiency fritted skylight glazing with strategic solar orientation, white roof to reduce heat gain, low-emitting building materials such as paints, adhesives and flooring, localized pre-cast concrete for parking decks and green screen wall construction in strategic locations. We also care about the water efficiency (water-efficient and local landscaping materials, low-flow plumbing fixtures) and waste reduction (construction waste minimized, recycling stations in mall and service areas and tenant guidelines encourage recycling).

Designed with the San Juan and Caribbean lifestyle in mind, The Mall of San Juan showcases a premium collection of fashion and lifestyle retailers live performances on the first weekend of each month and enjoy an astounding view of the San José Lagoon.

Photo: The Mall of San Juan

Location on the island is quite unique and unusual.

In my opinion The Mall of San Juan is very well located. It’s close to residential areas, tourist destinations, the busiest airport of the island, Luis Muñoz Marín International Airport; it’s minutes away from the central business district of Puerto Rico, Hato Rey; close to the primary medical center, to the University of Puerto Rico, and the beach-front hotels in the Isla Verde and Condado areas.

Puerto Rico is known as a tourist destination with amazing, spectacular beaches. Does The Mall of San Juan also attract clients from abroad?

Of course! Tourists and frequent visitors are an important part of the growth of The Mall of San Juan. We have received visitors from many countries, eager to enjoy the many offerings of the Mall.

Photo: facebook.com/mallofsanjuan

Protection of environment and CSR are important issues for many clients today. What are the ecological solutions adopted in The Mall of San Juan?

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22 March 2016 • London, UK EUROPE’S ONLY CONFERENCE FOCUSING EXCLUSIVELY ON COMMERCIALISATION AND SPECIALTY LEASING ICSC Global Partner

ICSC European Partners

FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE VISIT WWW.ICSC.ORG/2016SPREEU OR CALL +44 20 7976 3100 #SPREEshow

exit with new business opportunities Enter the expo with investment projects

20-23 march 2016

PA RIS PORTE DE VERSAILLES

Vincent PEYRONNET International Development Orchestra John Investor Master Franchisee

460 franchise brands

530 exhibitors

Take part in the world largest franchise event and connect with more than 460 brands from 87 sectors and 22 countries. Meet the most succesful concepts looking for partners on every new market. Attend international develoment dedicated workshops.

The international franchise market place An event:

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17-18 MAY 2016 BERLIN Deliver a seamless, consistent customer experience across all channels Future Omnichannel Retail Strategies 2016 will provide the perfect platform to learn how to implement an omnichannel strategy that places the customer at the heart of decision making. Keep up to date on the biggest issues to impact all retailers and hear the latest on achieving profitability whilst you deliver an omnichannel, customer-centric and effective retail strategy.

Compare experiences, share best practice and determine the most efficient way of moving forward so that you can stay ahead of the game.

Join your peers at our innovative and dynamic sessions on:

• Bridging the gap between in-store and digital for the ultimate customer experience • So how do you establish a profitable, customer centric omnichannel business model?

• Geolocation and the potential of beacons in retail – Just another fad or here to stay?

• What’s next for social media in retail?

• Omnichannel retailing is here, but is your organisation structure fit for purpose?

• Creating an innovative, fail fast culture to stay ahead of the competition • What’s next for mobile commerce?

• Is mobile payments finally here?

• Pushing the limits in delivery – What to expect next?

Keep up to date, be inspired and benchmark strategies this May and join us in Berlin. Secure your place today by quoting reference code: MK-HJ-AD

For more information on how to attend, please visit www.arena-international.com/futureretaileurope/

Organised by Arena International Events Group · www.arena-international.com

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KAROLINA STANKOWSKA

AMPHAWA FLOATING MARKET A SOURCE OF AUTHENTIC EXPERIENCE Heavenly beaches, Buddhist temples, exotic cuisine considered to be one of the best in the world and happy, smiling people – that's Kingdom of Thailand in a nutshell. Many people also associate this Asian country with floating markets. And rightly so, as these markets have become a great magnet for tourists.

Hatted vendors sitting in their long, narrow boats brimming with colourful exotic products... That's a sight for sore eyes

Photo: www.flickr.com/photos/sherrattsam/6144115228/, Sam Sherratt

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LIFE&STYLE

Boat trips cost approx.

60 bahts (1,5 $) a journey

*exchange rate as of 2 Feb 2016

Photo: www.flickr.com/photos/sherrattsam/6143571625/in/album-72157627537530059/, Sam Sherratt

The logo of Chang, a Thai beer, is often printed on t-shirts bought by the tourists

F

loating markets are quite numerous in Thailand. Unlike many other floating markets, where real Thai culture is hard to find, the Amphawa Floating Market is an authentic gem and a truly exceptional place. Visited mostly by locals, the place managed to retain the specific atmosphere of a Thai floating market. It's loud, it's crowded and it's definitely full of aromas. Shops, stalls and long-tail boats will tempt you with their colourful and irresistible merchandise. The market has spread out beyond the river waters, with cute little wooden shops attracting tourists by the riverside. The market is located approx. 50 km from Bangkok and is a great destination for a one-day trip from the capital. It is open on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays from 12 a.m. to 8 p.m. However, if you want to avoid crowds, it is best to get there by noon. By 2 p.m., the market will be already flooded with visitors.

Spicy, sour and sweet Thai cuisine is famous all over the world. The key to its popularity is the unique mix of flavours. A proper Thai meal is a mix of at least three of the five basic flavours: spicy, sour, sweet, salty and bitter. Although Thai cuisine can sometimes feel too simple, one bite is usually enough to fall in love with it. When at Amphawa Market, you should go ahead and try the marvels of Thai cuisine waiting for you at every corner. Tourists are tempted by an appetizing array of seafood grilled on wooden boats, e.g. prawns or squid. Definitely worth trying are Nam-heds, small bags containing chopped mushrooms and spices. Remember that your Nam-hed bag may contain a large piece of chili pepper and turn your foodie adventure into a nightmare, especially if you are not used to spicy food. Nevertheless, it is definitely worth trying because the taste is unique and special. When at the market, you can also try Raad-naa, a Chinese-Thai dish made of noodles, meat, seafood or tofu and soy sauce or fish sauce. Some food stalls will allow you to sample food before buying which will either help you make a choice or make it even harder.

A vitamin boost The most mouth-watering sight at places like Amphawa Market are not the souvenirs or read-made dishes, but the endless arrays of fresh produce. Coming in different shapes and sizes, most of them are unrecognisable for a regular tourist. What is more, their flavour SHOPPING MALL EXPERT |

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is so unique that most tourists will still miss it long after coming back home. One of the most original fruits is the notorious durian. It is a large fruit covered with thorns. Durian is famous for its strong odour. The persistence of its odour has led to the fruit's banishment from certain places in Thailand, for example airports or shops. Alternatively, you can always purchase durian chips or candy. They don't taste exactly like the fruit but are worth trying nevertheless. Pitaya, also known as the dragon fruit, is another product worth trying when in Thailand. It will draw your attention with its bright pink colour. The fruit is mildly sour and highly refreshing which is why you will often find it in cocktails. When in Thailand, you should also have a taste of the unusual rambutan. It is the size of a walnut, with the skin densely covered with long spines. The edible part is inside. It is white and mildly sweet.

Durian is called the most smelly fruit in the world After the dark...

The many stalls at the Amphawa Floating Market will tempt you with postcards, hats, handmade jewellery or even books, as well as printed t-shirts, for example with the popular Chang beer logo. You can also look for stalls offering canal tours. Going on a canal tour is definitely a good idea. If nothing else, then at least to marvel at the skills of the boatman manoeuvring his way through the river waters. It can also be a great idea for a breather after the shopping spree. If you have more time on your hands, it is best to go on the tour after dark. In the evening, you will have a chance to admire the spectacular view of trees covered with fireflies. Looking from afar, the trees look as if decorated with Christmas lights. Marvelling at the unusual view in silence, with just a few boats nearby, will make a great finale for your trip to the Amphawa Floating Market. ď Ż

LIFE&STYLE

NEW BENTLEY MULSANNE Each year during the Geneva Motor Show, the most interesting automotive novelties are presented. During the 2016 auto show, the new version of the iconic Bentley limousine will have its première. Both external parts and the interior of the car have been refurbished. Customers will be able to select from 23 leather upholstery colours and 13 types of wooden finishes. The car will also be equipped with a state-of-the-art multimedia system featuring an 8'' screen. Although the whole Mulsanne family will undergo some form of refurbishment, there will also be a completely new Extended Wheelbase model. The first cars will be available for purchase this summer.

HANGING CACOON Hanging cacoon is a great concept for anyone who needs a moment of pure relaxation and pleasure. The cacoon can be hung at home, in the office or in the garden – anywhere you need a separate and comfortable chillout space. The product can be easily disassembled and used in different places. Available in many colours and sizes (also for 2 persons), the cacoon can be your place to hang out, take a nap or meditate.

The price for single cacoon (1 person): 299 EUR

Photo: bentleymotors.com

BRABUS 650 – A REAL TREAT FOR SPEED LOVERS Brabus 650 is a tuned and tweaked version of Mercedes-AMG C 63S. This extraordinary car makes a total of 650 horsepower and quotes a has a zero-to-100-km/h time of 3.7 seconds, which is 0.3 second faster than the basic version of this model. Top speed is electronically limited to 320 km/h. The new model will also be available in wagon body type.

Photo: facebook.com/Cacoonworld-584830191646319

SMART SUITCASE

Photo: brabus.com

Bluesmart is a smart, high-quality suitcase that you can control through your mobile phone. Using a special app, you can block and unblock it, track its location and check weight. The suitcase has a special battery which will enable you to charge your phone up to six times. With this suitcase you will no longer have to worry about airlines losing your luggage.

Price: $399 Photo: bluesmart.com

FLYING ALARM CLOCK Do you have trouble getting up in the morning? Is it hard to get you out of bed?

The flying alarm clock can be a solution for your problem. How does it work? When the alarm goes off, the propeller at the top of the clock launches into the air. The sound cannot be stopped until you retrieve the propeller and return it to the base station. With the alarm incredibly loud, you will never again snooze for 5 more minutes, which usually turned into one more hour of sleep.

Photo :

firebo x

.com

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The leading consumer led awards event is back for 2016 celebrating the most critical metric to all retailers – customer satisfaction.

Building on the success of previous awards, this year's event will bring together senior level representatives from across UK retail for an afternoon and evening celebrating retail excellence combined with exclusive retail insight from the Verdict team. 12,000 consumers were asked to rate the retailers they’ve shopped with in the last year to produce the winners across 14 award categories.

Special Guest A keynote speech from Wilf Walsh, CEO from Carpetright

Please note that there are a limited number of complimentary places available so ensure you register yours today to celebrate achieving retail excellence as voted by the consumers themselves.

Quote the reference code:

MK-HJ-AD

For more information about this year’s awards ceremony, please visit: http://www.arena-international.com/verdictawards

Organised by Arena International Events Group · www.arena-international.com

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RETAIL IN MALL It’s everything in retail!

Join us at the first ever retail event created in finding solutions to the real problems faced by retailers operating in malls Why you cannot miss this event An event bringing together retaiers and shopping centres leaders. This event takes a border outlook addressing and finding solutions to the key challenges faced by retailers in shopping centers.

Benefits of conference to delegates • Gauging the key ingredients in choosing the right location for your store • Building strategic alliance between retail agents and retailers • Tackling high rental rates in shopping mall through effective negotiation • Exploring best practices in revenue sharing model • Optimising leasing and tenant partnership

Who should attend • Retail Owners • Retail Directors • Brand Partners • Store Development Directors • Real Estate & Expansion Directors • Head of Merchandising • Consultants • Architects & Designers • Leasing & Marketing Directors • Property Developers

6th - 7th April 2016, Goodwood Park Hotel, Singapore

6 t h A nnu a l

Be part of Asia’s largest Shopping Mall Event of the year!

Key Benefits of Attending

Past Event Testimonials

• Maximising the full potential of your shopping mall development • Transforming malls into a lifestyle destination • Re-Evaluating marketing tools to bring out the best of your malls and to drive footfalls • Grasping the technicalities in effective leasing and tenant engagements • Staying ahead of game: Riding on the future trends and concepts in shaping the shopping mall industry • Uniting shopping mall professionals with retailers for new business opportunities

“Meaningful experience for my first Truevents conference.”

Mihlgrace M. Samonteza, Ayala Land, Inc., Philippines “Overall, well done on the event and topics presented.”

Kristin Lee Poh Lian, Resort World Genting, Malaysia “Overall nice experience and good that the organiser arranged for quick networking session during the talks. Conducive environment and good mix of speakers.”

Jane Teo, Frasers Centrepoint Asset Management Ltd, Singapore “Very educational good for networking for this event like classroom set-up to learn.”

Miranda Ylp, Macau Legend Development Ltd

For inquir y, contact: Karen Leong Tel: +603-2775 0000 (ext 510) Email: karenl@trueventus.com