NEWSShopping | Office | Traffic | Industries

Refurbishments:

INVESTING IN THE FUTURE

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TOPICS...in this issue you can

look forward to

Refurbishments: How ECE manages to keep

its centers up to datepage 4

Interview: Dr. Andreas Mattner talks about ECE's extensive real

estate expertisepage 12

Your career at ECE: What makes the company attractive as an employer

page 14

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Publisher: ECE Projektmanagement G.m.b.H. & Co. KGCorporate Communications

Editor: Lukas Nemela, Christian StamerjohannsAuthors: Grit Bertelsmann, Juliane Paasch, Ralf von der HeidePhoto credits: S. d'Halloy/Image&Co (p. 3 top); Detlef Overmann (p. 4, p. 13 r.); Anja Steinmann (p. 5); Datenland (p.10/iQ); Cube Viz (p.10/Hermes); Still GmbH (p.11);HPP Architekten (p.11/25hours) Contact: press@ece.comwww.ece.com

IMPR I N T

ECE IN FIGURES ECE NEWS & EVENTS

MAPIC Awards: Double honors for ECE

For the second time in a row, ECE was presented with the Best Shopping Center Operator in Germa-ny award during the Expo Real 2015. The first place in the Shoppingcenter Performance Report is de-termined by the results of a survey among 400 ten-ants in German shopping centers, which includes questions on their satisfaction with the profitability of their shops at the centers and the rating of the competence of leading German shopping center operators. Two ECE centers won top spots in the rating of individual centers. Breuningerland Sin-delfingen took first place, Breuningerland Ludwigs-burg came in third.

Best Shopping Center Operator in Germany: ECE

ECE has established an ECE alumni Network as a platform for the personal exchange of current and former ECE colleagues: The network aims at discuss-ing the latest trends in the industry, maintaining professional networks and staying in touch with former colleagues. The alumni Network has its own XING group and offers regular events for a personal exchange of ideas. The first alumni Breakfast with a good attendance and discussions during Expo Real 2015 in Munich was a great success.

ECE's alumni network: Platform for personal exchange

In 2015, ECE received even two awards at Europe's largest retail trade fair, the MAPIC in Cannes. ECE received the “Best new Shopping Center” award for the newly developed Milaneo shopping center in Stuttgart, which was rated as especially innova-tive with regard to customer service, marketing, and architecture. ECE Future Labs won the “Best Retail Digital Strategy” award. Here, ECE develops innovative services for its centers, which address the ever-changing customer needs and which consider digitization trends as well as multichannel approaches.

ECENEWS 01/2016 page 3ECENEWS 01/2016 page 2

sales area

7.2million m2€ 30 billionof assets under management

196shopping centers under management

52 centers in 13 countriesunder ECE management outside Germany

3,600ECE employees

99.2%average occupancy at all ECE centers

21,000 shopsin all ECE centers

€ 23billionof retail turnover at the centers every year

41centers and projectswere issued sustainability certificates by DGNB or BREEAM

€ 3.2billioncurrent construction and project volume

4.5millionvisitors in ECE centers every day

At a glance: ECE in figures

ShortNews

COVER STORY REFURBISHMENTS

A happy First Mayor, busy store operators, a satisfied investor and a proud Center Man-ager: At the opening of the new Marstall, the joy at what has been achieved was clearly visible in everyone’s face. Since ECE gutted the old Marstall Center in Ludwigsburg, modernized it, and designed a completely new appearance, things have been going well in the northern part of the downtown area. Marstall is popular and has many visi-tors, and the surrounding areas are inviting and bustling.

Just a few years ago, it was very different: The old Marstall Center was breathing the spirit of the Seventies – however, at the same time it was almost entirely out of breath. “A classic example of a dead mall,” re-members Nikolaus Thätner, Project Manager at ECE. Ceilings were low, lights dim, and the

building structure run down. Everything had come to a standstill, the escalators as well as the rest of the mall. Three stores were still open before the first ECE Fund acquired the building in 2013 and ECE started on a com-prehensive refurbishment project.

“We see cases like this one frequently now-adays,“ says Mr. Thätner. “Some owners ba-sically left their centers to themselves over the years, they didn’t invest and they didn’t modernize.” That is when a downward spiral begins: The center becomes less attractive, customers stay away, sales go down, and rental income stagnates – at best.

Time seems to stand still at these centers, but in fact time is running out. As a leading operator, ECE knows that centers have to keep up with the times, that they have to keep reinventing themselves to stay attrac-tive for customers and tenants, keeping the owner happy in the long run. “A good opera-tor adjusts their center continually to chang-ing requirements,” Mr. Thätner explains. “A large-scale modernization is necessary roughly every ten years. Usually that is also when a large number of leases expire.”

And it is an opportunity for ECE not only to carry out technical or structural renovations but also to attract new and hip stores to the mall or to integrate service innovations. The result is that the center stays up to date and successful. “Currently, we are looking at ways to get more restaurants into the centers, that’s clearly a trend,“ says Mr. Thätner.

While regular renovations ideally are part of standard operations, the 100 million euro refurbishment of Marstall is a higher-end modernization example. The old center was past salvaging, which meant that everything had to be ripped out and a completely new appearance was needed. Today, visitors are attracted by a new, coherent concept, around 70 stores with a wide variety of re-tailers and tenants, and a state-of-the-art

food court. “This consistent storytelling is a recurring theme, from the mall’s archi-tecture to store designs to our advertising campaign, and it is something very special,” says Center Manager Anne Marschner. “Our visitors appreciate this attention to detail and they keep telling us how beautiful and enjoyable it is here.”

A new way of thinking was necessary during refurbishment because of the existing building structure. Nobody would design such low ceilings nowadays, but installing large skylights, some of which were reposi-tioned, helped break them up visually. An open foyer with a large glass front lets in the light and creates a feel-good atmosphere, and outside stairs connect the center to the surrounding lanes and squares of the down-

BEFORE: THE SPIRIT OF

THE SEVENTIES

AFTER: AN INTEGRATED

CONCEPT

Vacant, lifeless, uninviting: Marstall-Center before the restart

For further information as well as a video clip about ECE’s refurbishment capabili-

ties see: www.ece.com/marstall

Bright and welcoming: The new Marstall after

refurbishment

ONE-STOP SHOP Modernizations, refurbishments, and extensions of shopping centers are one of ECE’s core competences. In order to analyze and plan the refurbishment of a property, ECE compiles multidisciplinary teams consisting of project developers, leasing managers, center managers, archi-tects, and marketing, finance, and legal experts that pool their expertise. The team has the necessary know-how to obtain planning consent as well as expe-rience in repositioning and rebranding and “design to cost.” Whether it is proj-ect development, financing, leasing, or marketing: For all these aspects, ECE can rely on decades of experience in developing and modernizing shopping centers. This way the company is prepared for any refurbishment, whether it is a comprehensive modernization, extension, or change of use of shop areas – or for complex projects, which include all of it.

ECENEWS 01/2016 page 5ECENEWS 01/2016 page 4

INVESTING IN THE FUTUREECE is a professional partner for the modernization and expansion of shopping centers – for objects such as Marstall, refurbishment means a second life

COVER STORY REFURBISHMENTS

MUCH LIGHT, MUCH ATMOSPHERE

town area that were also redesigned by the city. Not just the center but the entire part of town has an elegant new look.

Another successful project was the refur-bishment of the shopping center Hambur- ger Straße, now called Hamburger Meile: The mix of retailers was oriented towards younger consumers, the mall, which was previously divided up into blocks, is now connected, stretching over a length of more than 600 meters and grouped by themes, and Hamburg’s very first food court was established. “Many customers witnessed the decline of the old center and they are happy now to have a nice mall to go to,” says Center

Manager Carsten Gogol. Today, the “Meile” is a vibrant place again; the number of visitors has increased by around ten percent since 2011, the first year after the new start, and is now at a consistently high level. After declin-ing steadily before ECE took over, sales have risen by more than 15 percent since 2011. “Compared to the old center, the increase is even higher, and compared to the years before modernization, sales have more than doubled,” Mr. Gogol explains. “However, back then roughly 60 percent of the mall was vacant and there was no uniform man-agement.” An important building block to success: The bad, run-down image people had of the old center had to be transformed

– and ECE achieved this by designing and implementing a complete rebranding.

The Phoenix-Center in Hamburg-Harburg is another example of the wide range of devel-opment options for shopping centers. Here, its owners, ECE, Deutsche EuroShop, and

B&L, have invested around 30 million euros in expanding the mall by 2,500 m² to a total retail space of 29,000 m². With the opening of the new space in March 2016, the cen-ter now features a food court with eleven restaurants and seating for 300 people, the first and only food court in the area. Another

A welcoming meeting point: the new food court at Phoenix-Center

ECE FUND: VALUE INCREASE THROUGH REFURBISHMENT Refurbishments are also an essential part of the ECE Funds’ business model: The ECE European Prime Shopping Centre Funds I and II focus on acquiring existing shopping centers with value-adding potential, which can be unlocked by extending, repositioning, or optimizing the tenant and retail mix. The ECE Funds currently own a portfolio of 16 shop-ping centers in Europe worth more than 2.5 billion euros. Examples of these properties are Loom in Bielefeld, Marstall in Ludwigsburg, and Rosengårdcen-tret in Denmark.

For a video clip of the Hamburger Meile refurbishment go to:

www.ece.com/hamburger-meile

CHICER, CLEARER, MORE MODERN Löhr-Center in Koblenz will also be undergoing comprehensive refurbishment until the beginning of 2017 for more than 30 million euros: it will have a new entrance portal, new restaurants with outside seat-ing, and a fresh architectural design. Zara will be a new anchor tenant, and new concepts such as Liebeskind Berlin, Tom Tailor, Only, Leo’s, and Apollo Optik will also move in, and Rewe is already on-site as another new anchor tenant.

ECENEWS 01/2016 page 7ECENEWS 01/2016 page 6

LOOM BIELEFELD Anoth-er ECE refurbishment has entered its next phase: Construction work on the new Loom will commence in May after the demolition of the old City-Passage and Kaufhof department store. “We are pleased that we have achieved another big milestone on the way to the new Loom,” says ECE Project Manager Dr. Sandra Harms. “The old City-Passage was narrow, dark, outdated, and with its 44 shops, it provided a very limited shopping experience.” The refurbishment includes a complete relaunch of the center: there will be a new concept, premium archi-tecture, a first-class food court, state-of-the-art services, and 110 modern shops. The opening of Loom, which is owned by the ECE European Prime Shopping Centre Fund I, is scheduled for fall 2017. The leas-ing of shop spaces is already in full swing. Leasing contact: shop@ece.com

new retailer at Phoenix-Center is sporting goods retailer Stadium, a first in a German center.

For PEP München, an expansion is in the works. In place of where the parking ga-rage “Nord” is now, plans call for around 10,000 m² of additional retail space and a new parking garage with nearly the same number of parking spaces. The new part of the building is scheduled to open in 2018 and feature attractive new tenants. “At the same time, we are taking the opportunity to further improve service quality, such as by adding more customer bathrooms, play areas for children and a 3D signage system,” explains PEP Center Manager Axel Haug. For the expansion period, there are also simultaneous plans for comprehensive mall refurbishment: new materials for the walls

and ceilings, additional seating areas, and a parking guidance system, a modern appear-ance, and highly enjoyable experience. “Our goal is to bring PEP up to date and get it ready for its future as one of Germany’s lead-ing centers,” explains Niklas Baldauf, an Asset Manager at TH Real Estate, the company that supports PEP on the owner’s side.

ECE Project Manager Nikolaus Thätner adds: “We are all working together to ensure that everyone will appreciate their center for years to come.“ By this he means all of ECE’s customer groups: center visitors, tenants, and investors.

No more downgrading and vacancies (top left): The new “Hamburger Meile” is full of life

PLANNED OPENNING: FALL 2017

approx. € 120millionINVESTMENT VOLUME

approx. 26,000m2

SALES AREA

ECENEWS 01/2016 page 8

PROJEC TS

VERONA The new ECE shopping center in Italy, Verona Adige, is making good progress

with regard to construction as well as leasing: The demand for shop spaces has grown so much that ECE has been considering an in-crease in the planned leasable area.

The current planning comprises about 130 shops and services companies on a leasable

area of approximately 42,000 m², including an Interspar supermarket with 4,500 m² and an at-

tractive mix of Italian and international concepts. The center will also include various premium dining options. In addition, Verona Adige is situated outstandingly: It is lo-cated in the city center of Verona at a main road leading to the freeway and will provide approximately 2,500 parking spaces, and it is also well connected to public transport.

Construction is on schedule: The building pit and the ac-cess drives to the parking garage have been completed and Verona Adige is quickly taking shape due to the use of precast building elements. ECE has teamed up with ex-perienced Italian property developer CDS from whom the company had acquired the project in 2015. ECE will also take over the management of the center after its opening in spring 2017.

ECENEWS 01/2016 page 9ECENEWS 01/2016 page 8

OPENINGS | NEW UNDER MANAGEMENT

ISTANBUL Having signed renowned tenants such as H&M, Teknosa, LC Waikiki, De Facto, Cinemaximum, MacFit, and Carrefour or Migros, both centers offer a diverse choice of pop-ular labels.

Axis Istanbul, in the dynamic Eyüp district, will open at the end of April. On four levels, the mixed-use complex houses 170 stores, a cinema with ten screens, a kids'

play area, a fitness center, restau-rants, cafés, and outside terraces, a

food court with 1,400 seats, as well as premium office space on 27,000 m²

and 1,000 parking spaces. The leasable area of currently 40,000 m² will be extended to 60,000 in a second con-struction phase. Investors for this project are the Turkish companies Sur Yapi and Hayat Holding.

Akasya Park, in the densely popu-lated city district of Ümraniye in

the Asian part of Istanbul, will open on May 19. The center ac-commodates 240 shops on four levels, a food court with 1,500 in-

side and outside seating in total, 34 cafés and restaurants, a cinema,

a fitness center, as well as approx-imately 3,000 parking spaces. The

leasable area of currently 60,000 m² will be extended to 90,000 m² in a second construction phase. Furthermore, this modern mixed-use property will also house 617 apartments and offices on 64,000 m². The investor for this project is the Turkish com-pany Akasya Alçı Maden Üretim A.Ş.

New contracts in Russia

MOSCOW ECE has taken over the management of two

further shopping centers in Russia: Immofinanz Russia has commissioned ECE for the management, leasing, and marketing for Golden Babylon in

Moscow, one of the larg-est inner-city shopping

centers in Europe. The mall opened in 2009 and comprises

a leasable area of 165,000 m² and more than 450 shops. It is anchored by an

Okey hypermarket, a Stockmann department store, Mediamarkt, all Inditex retail concepts, an H&M store, as well as a cinema, a food court, and a home improvement store. Golden Babylon is located right off one of Moscow’s main arterial roads and offers 5,000 park-ing spaces. About three million people live in its catchment area.

Also in Moscow, ECE operates, in a joint venture with Romanov Property Holding Fund, the Dream House shopping center with ap-proximately 65 shops on a leasable area of about 9,200 m².

For the management of these centers, ECE can build on more than ten years of experience in the Russian market. ECE Russia has been managing the shopping centers Vremena Goda in Moscow and Aura in Yaroslawl, which the company successfully introduced into the market. Thus ECE keeps growing against the market trend in Russia and currently manages 900 tenants in four centers on a leasable area of almost 300,000 m².

PLANNED OPENING: SPRING 2017

approx. 2,500PARKING SPACES

approx. 42,000m2

LEASABLE AREA

approx. 130 SHOPS

AXIS ISTANBUL

€ 440 millionINVESTMENT VOLUME OF THE ENTIRE ROPERTY

60,000m2

LEASABLE AREA (PHASE 1+2)

170 SHOPS

AKASYA PARK

€ 200 millionINVESTMENT VOLUME OF THE SHOPPING CENTER

90,000m2

LEASABLE AREA (PHASE 1+2)

240 SHOPS

Turkish hospitalityTwo new shopping centers in Turkey will welcome their customers starting in spring this year, and ECE will take over their management and leasing

SINGEN Planning for the new shopping center in Singen has entered the next stage. The city is located in the Baden-Württemberg region of Hegau, close to Lake Con-stance and the Swiss border, and has 50,000 inhabitants. ECE plans to build a shopping center with 80 premium stores, a food court with diverse dining options on the top floor, and premium restaurants. The next steps, the completion of the regional planning procedure and further decisions by the city council on the development planning procedure, are expected for March. The center's design will reflect the industrial tradition of Singen and the volcanic landscape of the region. The center, which is near both the railway station and the pedestrian zone, will offer approx. 500 parking spaces and is set to open in fall 2018.

New Projects in southern realms

PLANNED OPENING: FALL 2018

approx. 16,000m2

SALES AREAapprox. 80 SHOPS

approx. € 120 millionINVESTMENT VOLUME

Construction of the Watermark, Shipyard, and Freeport building ensemble in the heart of HafenCity Hamburg is on schedule. ECE and STRABAG Real Estate laid the foundation stone for the 150-million-euro project adjacent to HafenCity University in September 2015. The 70-meter high-rise named “Watermark,” with a white ceramic facade and a large roof terrace with a stunning view across the city of Hamburg, is the heart of the three properties in a prime residential area at the Elbe river. The new city quarter furthermore encompasses the elegant “Freeport” apartment build-ing with 46 premium apartments – all of them with a terrace and a much sought-after view across the Elbe river and the harbor – as well as the seven-story office tower named “Shipyard.” The architectural and urban quality of the project is emphasized by a central square at the riverfront, which features restaurants, cafés, and shops. The new city quarter will be ready for new residents by the end of 2017.

OFFICE BUILDINGS | LOGISTICS CENTERS

Intelligent Quarters, Hamburg:Jewel on the riverside

In December 2015, Philips opened its new regional headquarters for Germany, Austria, and Switzerland in the presence of ECE's CEO Alexander Otto and Olaf Scholz, First Mayor of Hamburg. ECE had developed, planned, and executed the project. The building with six stories covers a gross floor area of 18,000 m². It has already received the Gold Certificate of the German Sustainable Building Council (DGNB) for complying with high environmental standards. Philips had been involved in developing this tailor-made high-tech campus with state-of-the-art and attractive work environments that reflect the processes and the future needs of the company. The current headquarters of Phillips in Germany in the Hamburg district of St. Georg was also developed by ECE.

New Philips headquarters opened

Completion of Hermes logistics center in Löhne

ECENEWS 01/2016 page 11ECENEWS 01/2016 page 10

ECE and STILL broke ground for a new logistics center in Hamburg's district of Billbrook. Two warehouse complexes are currently be-ing built for STILL GmbH adjacent to its head office. They have a rental area totaling approx. 27,000 m² and are scheduled for comple-tion in spring 2017. ECE is developing, planning, and carrying out the project. The investment volume amounts to approximately 30 million euros. STILL has signed a long-term lease contract for the property, which will be placed on the investment market.

25HOURS HOTEL

ECE sold the in-development 25hours hotel in the Düsseldorf Le Quartier Central quar-ter to Patrizia Immobilien AG. Even after its sale, ECE will be responsible for the devel-opment and the project management of the property, which is on a long-term lease to the 25hours Hotel Company. The opening of the 18-story hotel has been scheduled for spring 2018. Construction will commence in the middle of 2016. Like all the other hotels of the company, the hotel will have a unique design, which will draw on the theme of the district and will contain typical German and French design elements. The top floor will boast a bar with a spectacular view across the city and a French-style restaurant. A coffee shop and a bike repair shop will move into the ground floor.

25hours hotel sold to Patrizia

approx. € 150 millionINVESTMENT VOLUME

approx. 23,800m2

GFA OFFICE SPACE46 APARTMENTS

approx. 18,000m2

GFA

Mid-March 2016 OPENING

approx. 100,000m2

LOGISTICS AREA

Spring 2018 GRAND OPENING

approx. 10,000m2

GFA198 ROOMS

HOTEL AM LOHSEPARK, HAMBURG: PLANNING, DEVELOPMENT, LEASING, AND SELLING

MITTE ALTONA, HAMBURG: DEVELOPMENT OF APARTMENTS, AMONG OTHERS IN A CONSORTIUM WITH BEHRENDT WOHNUNGSBAU, HARMONIA IMMOBILIEN, AND E.W.FRAATZ

ALSTERCAMPUS, HAMBURG: REALIZATION OF APARTMENTS AND OFFICE SPACE IN THE SECOND CONSTRUCTION PHASE BY ECE AND HARMONIA IMMOBILIEN FOR ÄRZTEVERSORGUNG HANNOVER

MESSECITY, COLOGNE: PLANNING, DEVELOPMENT, AND REALI-ZATION OF OFFICE SPACE IN A JOINT-VENTURE WITH STRABAG REAL ESTATE

KUNSTHALLE, HAMBURG: MODERNIZATION AND EXPANSION

FURTHER PROJECTS UNDER CONSTRUCTION OR AT PLANNING STAGE:

April 28, 2016 OPENING

11,900m2

GFA270 ROOMS

approx. 120,000 m2

GFAapprox. 1,200 APARTMENTS

Fall 2016 COMPLETION

23,000m2

LEASABLE OFFICE SPACE(PHASE 1+2)

250 APARTMENTS (PHASE 1+2)

approx. 135,000 m2

GFA

Groundbreaking for STILL logistics center

STILL LOGISTICS CENTER

approx. 27,000m2

LOGISTICS AREA

Construction of the logistics center, which was developed, planned, and realized by ECE, will be complete in the middle of March. The new distribution center, including the main hub, will then be handed over to the tenant. Hermes Fulfilment GmbH and Hermes Einrichtungs Service GmbH & Co. KG, two companies of Hermes Unternehmensgruppe, will sign a long-term tenancy contract for the property. In the fall of 2015, the logistics center was acquired from ECE by Tilad, a multi-family office headquartered in Dubai, for one of their subsidiaries.

1st quarter 2018 COMPLETION

4th quarter 2022 COMPLETION

EXPERTISE IN REAL ESTATE | SUSTAINABILIT Y

ECE is known to be the European market leader for shopping centers. However, for decades the company has also been de-veloping other real estate properties. How significant are these activities? Boasting a current construction and planning volume of 1.4 billion euros, this division is an important pillar and driver of growth for ECE. Whether company headquarters, train stations, logistics prop-erties, hotels, or residential areas, our business is very profitable and diverse. We have established the company as a developer and ser-vice provider for customized real estate.

Does ECE develop only large and complex projects?It is not the size of a project that matters. It is quality that mat-ters. ECE is able to cover the entire value chain of a real estate investment. For example: A company would like to have its new, tailor-made headquarters built by ECE. We take over all tasks if the client wishes us to. ECE will look for the suitable plot of land, devel-op, plan, and realize the property, and sell it to a suitable investor. This way, the company will get its customized headquarters, which it can move into as tenant without taking any risks. Furthermore, ECE ensures for the investor that the property can be arranged for further use, once the current tenant moves out. Customers who are not in need of the full package, on the other hand, can also order individual services.

What makes ECE so interesting for customers?Especially for complex projects, it is important to develop individual and profitable solutions. If you develop tailor-made properties, you should listen to your customers and have expertise from planning to financing at your disposal. ECE's real estate experts can combine the views of the client and the investors to find a common perspective. This way, we develop properties in a dialog at eye level with our cus-tomers that strengthen their core business, provide a competitive edge, and that are very profitable. And we do this in the tradition of the honorable Hanseatic businessman: We provide quality, on bud-get, on time, reliably, fairly, and sustainably.

… for Dr. Andreas Mattner, Managing Director “Office, Traffic, Industries & Corporate Communications”

QUESTIONS ...3

Commitment in many facets: New ECE Sustainability Report

In February, ECE presented its fifth Sustain-ability Report. The report is entitled “Urban life in the future” and, for the first time, has been prepared in accordance with the latest international GRI-G4 standards. Measures and objectives have been backed up with figures and data for a clear understanding.

The report shows the many sustainability fac-ets at ECE and the company’s commitment to acting even more sustainably: efficient light bulbs and cooling systems in its centers, the development of a particularly ener-ergy-efficient LED lighting concept for a cer-tified logistics property, and family-friendly offers for its employees are just a few exam-ples. ECE has also changed its approach with regard to its fleet of company cars and offers targeted incentives for the use of low-emis-sion vehicles.

The guiding motto, urban life, is a recurring theme throughout the report. It is a mega trend that ECE contributes to through many impulses: developing inclusive city quarters, connecting centers to intelligent mobility concepts, or a commitment to cities and regions through the “Lebendige Stadt” foun-dation.

For more on ECE's sustainability activities and for the new Sustainability Report go to: www.ece.com/sustainability

SECOND ECE FUND INCREASES FUNDING VOLUME

At the closing in November 2015, the ECE European Prime Shopping Centre Fund II increased its funding volume once more: International sovereign wealth funds, pension funds, and insurance companies from Europe, Asia, and the United States contributed com-mitments of 850 million euros to the fund. This equals a gross asset value of approximately two billion euros. ECE Fund II will continue the investment strategy of ECE Fund I and focus on acquiring existing European shop-ping centers with value-adding potential. Its investment period will end in 2018.

Two new centers for the second ECE Fund

Zielone Arkady in Bydgoszcz had been secured by the ECE Fund II for acquisition at an early stage, and the fund add-ed the property to its portfolio after its opening. Zielone Arkady is currently the largest project of ECE in Poland. The center accommodates nearly 200 stores of national and international retailers as well as a modern food court with diverse dining options and nearly 400 seats.

At the end of 2015, the ECE European Prime Shopping Centre Fund II added two new centers to its portfolio, Zwickau Arcaden in Zwickau and Zielone Arkady in By-dgoszcz. ECE provides the management and leasing for both properties. Thus, since the start of the investment phase, the second ECE Fund has acquired a total of four shopping centers.

The fund has acquired Zwickau Arcaden from its pre-vious owner Ivanhoé Cambridge. Opened in 2000, the inner-city shopping center accommodates more than 65 stores and food outlets. The property also comprises 3,500 m² of office space.

FUND

Aquis Plaza in Aachen, one of a total of eight center openings by ECE in 2015, has proven the right choice in many ways, especially for Aachen, its people, and the tenants. Now, Aquis Plaza has also been nominated for the MIPIM Awards 2016: The project, which was devel-oped by ECE and STRABAG Real Estate, has been nominated for the final round of the “Best Shopping Centre” category. MIPIM visitors can vote for the center on-site in Cannes. The center's architecture boasts highlights such as two-story shop fronts and a spectacular glass fa-cade. In addition to the tailored merchandise mix, many innovations, such as multisensory elements or numerous digital services, provide a premium shopping experience.

Read more about the multisense experience at Aquis Plaza on page 15.

A good choice: Aquis Plaza

ECENEWS 01/2016 page 12 ECENEWS 01/2016 page 13

ZWICKAU ARCADEN

430 PARKING SPACES

approx. 13,000m2

SALES AREAapprox. 65 SHOPS

ZIELONE ARKADY, BYDGOSZCZ

€ 145 millionINVESTMENT VOLUME

51,000m2

LEASABLE AREA200 SHOPS

To see how exciting aCenter Manager’s role can be,

please check:www.ece.com/more-than-a-job

ECE AS EMPLOYER

What makes the job of a Center Manager so exciting? We not only do the administration of the center, we keep it up to date with the latest trends and develop our services further. My tasks include staying in touch with the ten-ants, marketing, event management, press and PR, as well as budget planning. Every day is different. Hosting 48,000 visitors every day means that something new or unex-pected happens all the time – this is what makes my work very exciting and multifac-eted. And I have a team of eleven colleagues to support me.

How did you get this job?When I was 16, I worked as a temporary em-ployee at Schlosspark-Center Schwerin and I could see for myself how exciting the job as a Center Manager is. As I enjoy organizing and planning, I was very eager for this job

and completed a cooperative education program in Trade Management. During the practical experience periods at ECE, I went to different shopping centers and I took over my first center, Allee-Center Remscheid, af-ter my graduation. Since spring 2014, I have been working at Sophienhof in Kiel.

Who would you recommend a career as Center Manager to?People who are open-minded and outgoing, flexible in terms of their working location, and strong even in hectic times, have every-thing needed to do this job. You meet new people and you can decide a lot yourself on location. Thus, Center Managers need a real sense of responsibility. And they need real passion – so they can enjoy the job even at stressful times.

“Exciting and multifaceted” Sophie Dukat, Center Manager of Sophienhof Kiel, about the diversity of and responsibility in her job

In the real estate industry, ECE is known as a leading operator and developer of shop-ping centers and complex real estate pro-jects. Due to the manifold activities of the company, it offers exciting and challenging tasks for specialists from any profession. These include Asset Managers, Transaction Managers, IT-Experts, and Center Managers who are ready to broaden their horizons and face new challenges every day.

There is no standing still. This does not only apply to the everyday working rou-tine, but also to the company culture. In 2015, the year of the company's 50th an-niversary, the informal way of addressing one another was introduced throughout the company, addressing one another by their first names and the second person singular in German. After an initial period of insecurity, most colleagues were quickly

persuaded to use it – the informal way of dealing with one another in many inter-de-partmental projects makes collaboration easier.

“I appreciate meeting my colleagues at eye-level,” says Sandra Oertel, Regional Manager in the Center Management Divi-sion. “At ECE, there is always someone you can ask for advice or help. Everyone is very helpful and friendly.”

Being a family-owned company focusing on long-term, economic stability, reliabili-ty, work-life balance, and employee devel-opment are considered very important at ECE. “This has been proved not only by low employee turnover,” says Jürgen Feindt, Di-rector HR, “but also by the many awards we received, such as the ‘berufundfamilie’ seal, the ‘Top Employer Deutschland’ certificate,

and above-average ratings for ECE as an employer.”

Programs such as the childcare benefit, flexible working hours, home office, or a sabbatical to care of a sick relative have proven their worth at ECE. Employee de-velopment programs include internal and external training, the company's own Cen-ter Manager Academy, and, above all, the chance to take responsibility at an early stage. Ambitious employees with passion, who think like entrepreneurs and who enjoy taking responsibility for their work, are needed in every part of the company. Whether it be Leasing Managers, IT Con-sultants, Technical Managers in a center, or Accountants, all these professions have an impact on business processes at ECE – and thus the satisfaction of their customers.

The development companyCareer opportunities and exciting jobs – this is working at ECE

ECE recently received three employer awards . For the second time in a row, ECE was vot-ed “Top Employer Deutschland” by the Top Employers Institute at the beginning of 2016, for its employer development and training programs as well as for its staff planning and executives’ training. Only recently in February, the IMWF Institute for Management and Economic Research rated ECE “Hamburgs beste Arbeitgebermarke” (“Hamburg's Best Employer Brand”). Furthermore, ECE received the seal “Top Company – Von Mitarbeitern empfohlen” (Top Company – recommended by employees) on the employer rating site Kununu.

Three awards for ECE

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ECE is a driver of innovations in its centers and appeals to all of its visitors’ senses: The recently opened Aquis Plaza in Aachen for the first time applies a new multisensory strategy, consisting of sounds, scents, and light elements. The intention of these in-novations is to make the center a special place with a particularly pleasant atmo-sphere that makes visiting it a highly en-joyable experience. This concept is based on the characteristics of the center, which in turn strengthens it as a brand.

The flowing, energetic sounds at Aquis Plaza refer to water and are thus indicative of the historic significance of the Roman thermal baths in Aachen. Correspondent fruity, floral scents add to the multisensory experience. The multisensory elements

are specifically used in areas where first impressions count. These include welcome areas such as elevator lobbies in parking garages or the center entrance, to give our visitors a first taste of their visit.

Another crucial aspect for setting the right mood is lighting. Flexible sun screens allow for a lot of cozy daylight at Aquis Plaza. Areas with less daylight are supplied with electric light, which comes close to daylight with regard to its color and which changes intensity during the course of the day. Another bright highlight is the 18-meter-high light sculpture above the food court.

Sound, scent, light:Shopping with all senses

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A GOOD CHOICE AQUIS PLAZA The all new Aquis Plaza in Aachen, Germany, a project of ECE and STRABAG Real Estate, has been shortlisted as „Best Shopping Centre“ nominee for the MIPIM Awards 2016. The spacious architecture includes highlights like two-level shop fronts and a spectacular glass façade making the center a perfect blend into the city center of Aachen. Various innovations such as multisensory elements and many digital services provide for a premium shopping experience. Vote for Aquis Plaza and visit us, at the MIPIM – or in Aachen! www.ece.com

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