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Arrivals and Departures in the Shopping Centre Industry
Date Posted: 15/08/2011
It is often discussed within the industry that in the next 5 years a significant amount of individuals are due to retire and whilst there is no statistic to prove this, from Foundation Recruitment’s research we do believe that there is some truth to it. It leads us to ask the immediate question where will the new talent for the Shopping Centre industry come from?
It is very common for Retail Store Managers to already be considered by landlords when recruiting for Centre Managers however other industries also hold individuals with strong transferable skills. The Airport industry is the most obvious given that some airports offer retail space which is a more substantial than some UK shopping centres. The operational issues within an airport are very similar and stakeholder liaison is experience which is directly relevant when conducting the ambassadorial role as a Shopping Centre Manager. Many senior Centre Directors within some of the UK’s largest and most high profile schemes worked previously as a Commercial Director, Head of Retail or Head of Operations within an airport before moving into a shopping centre; the transition is considered to be one which can made with relative ease albeit there is an initial learning curve.
The newest industry to be considered alongside the shopping centre industry is Football Clubs/Stadia. This comparison was initially highlighted when Nick Peel left his position as Head of Retail Operations for Land Securities and joined Arsenal Football Club as Retail Director. The similarity has been further compounded by the high profile departure of Andrew Parkinson, General Manager at Bluewater Shopping Centre who has been reported to be joining Liverpool Football Club as Operations Director in the next few months. Landlords are now asking Foundation Recruitment to consider individuals from Football Clubs when recruiting for Centre Directors, something we have conducted extensive research into and there is definite transferable skill from the Operations Directors, Commercial Directors and Head of Retail within these Clubs.
An additional area of interest for some landlords is Hospitality & Leisure. Due to the attention to detail in customer service over a 24hour operation and the strong budgeting skills needed, Senior and Regional Managers are considered to also be an attractive target as possible new candidates for the industry when recruiting new Centre Managers.
Whilst Retailers and individuals from these new industries provide new candidates for Landlords to consider, it has inevitably created another problem: with an increasing number of Shopping Centre Managers/Directors looking for a new challenge but with a decrease in number of new shopping centres being built, it is understandable that some of these high profile individuals are considering their options including leaving the industry. These external industries pose a solution but also a problem when addressing the impending retirement the shopping centre industry may face.
Foundation Recruitment is committed to assisting landlords explore the already talented shopping centre market when recruiting. In addition we will explore individuals within these new markets who posses the skills to make the transition into a Centre Manager/Director role whether they be from Retail, Football Clubs, Airports or Hospitality. Equally Foundation Recruitment are dedicated to assisting those Centre Manager/Directors or Operations Directors that wish to explore a new challenge. Whether that be in the Shopping Centre arena or in an alternative industry in a role which not only utilises their current skill set but which builds and stretches them further. For a confidential discussion on any of the above please do not hesitate to contact Foundation Recruitment on 0161 638 8740.