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CRE Member Profile
A Closer Look:
Simon Thomson is an International Retail Consultant and is Principal of Retail International® an independent retail consultancy offering specialist professional services to the retail industry, particularly in the Middle East & Central Europe. He has operated in the Middle East for some 25 years. He was a founding director of The Middle East Council of Shopping Centres, Dubai and continues to be an active member of that Council as well as the International Council of Shopping Centers, New York.
Simon has been involved with the planning and development of some of the leading shopping malls and commercial centres across the Middle East valued at several billion US dollars. He is a regular contributor to professional journals and other media. He is a frequent key note speaker at international retail industry conferences. His firm publishes a regular survey and report on the shopping centre market in the Middle East.
Property Specialties:
Commercial (general), Leisure & Entertainment, Marinas/Waterfront, Mixed-Use, Research, Retail
Services:
Appraisals, Corporate Real Estate, Development, Feasibility Studies, International Consulting, Market Studies, Tenant Representation
Professional/Functional Classification:
Advisor/Consultant
International Experience:
Western Europe, Middle East & North Africa, Bahrain, Cyprus, Egypt, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Oman, Poland, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Spain, Syria, Tunisia, Turkey, UK, United Arab Emirates
Other Real Estate Designations:
Fellow of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors, Other
Education:
University of South Bank London UK
Non-English Languages Spoken:
French
| Westown and Eastown, Cairo.
Two new cities under development.
Westown located in the west of Cairo on a 1.2 million sqm site in the 6th of October City, the town centre is aimed at creating a thriving urban and social hub.
Eastown, located in the east of Cairo, covering an area of 860,000 sqm, is at the heart of the emerging area of New Cairo close to the new campus of the American University.
* Detailed research and report on the retail market in Cairo.
* Concept advice.
* Market positioning.
* Marketing advice.
* Merchandise mix.
* Advice on rental levels, anchor stores, food courts, speciality stores.
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| 2006 |
Lusail Entertainment District, Doha, Qatar |
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| To undertake a Strategic Retail Study of the Doha market and to provide comprehensive retail advice. Mixed use to include 105,000 m2 retail and entertainment. Multi million USD. Client: Abu Dhabi Investment House.
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| 2006 |
Dubai International Finance Centre, Dubai, UAE |
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| To provide advice with regard to market positioning, tenant mix and related issues concerning the DIFC retail mall. |
| 2006 |
The Lagoon, Bahrain |
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| To undertake a critical design analysis including layout, services, operational issues and to recommend improvements to enhance investment value.
Description of proposed development:
Waterside retail, dining and entertainment centre. 3 levels. 46,000m2.
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| 2005 |
Dubai Tower–Shopping Boulevard, Doha, Qatar |
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| To undertake a Strategic Retail Study of the Doha market and to provide comprehensive retail advice with regard to the shopping centre forming a key component of Dubai Tower a landmark development of two million square feet on the Corniche in Doha and the first overseas project by Dubai International Properties.
Description of proposed development:
* Total Built Area: approx. 2million sq. ft
* Retail Gross Area: approx. 108,000 sq. ft
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| 2004 |
The Souks, Beirut, Lebanon |
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| - To provide a unit by unit merchandise and tenant mix with potential prospective retailers.
- As appropriate identify design changes to enhance tenant mix / leasing potential within design constraints of the approved master plan.
The following are some of the key components of the study completed by Retail International®:
* Merchandising Mix Strategy
* Philosophy and Market Positioning
* Vision
* Governing effect
* Fundamental principles
* Souks specific factors
* Flexibility
* Existing configuration
* Other determinants - anchors
* Identity
* Added value
* Leisure
* Theme
* Zones
* Critical Retail Locations within The Souks – Anchors, Mini Anchors and similar.
* Supermarket
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| 2003/4 |
Strategic Retail Monitoring Study, Beirut, Lebanon |
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| To undertake a study in order to:
- Advise on potential growth areas within the retail sector for the city centre including speciality shopping, tourist and entertainment related retail, waterfront, festival shopping
- Estimate current size and future growth potential of these markets for downtown retail
- Develop a retail monitoring strategy – likely absorption rates and planned rate of release onto the market of retail floor space over 5 to 10 years.
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| 2003/04 |
Retail:Entertainment Centre, Bahrain |
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| To propose and develop a concept for a major retail and leisure destination centre in Bahrain. Identify suitable locations and undertake a comprehensive development brief and market study to enable international architects prepare detailed design proposals for joint submission to the client and the Royal Court.
Description of proposed development:
*Retail : 70,000 m2
* Shops : 250
* Anchor stores: 3
* Multiplex & Cultural centre
* Leisure: 50,000 m2
* Parking: 3,500 cars
* Cost: $200million
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| 2003/04 |
The Souks, Beirut, Lebanon |
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| Major Strategic Retail Impact Study of Beirut to examine the impact upon The Souks of:
- Existing and proposed retail development by third parties within the Solidere area
- Existing and proposed retail development outside Solidere area in central and greater Beirut
- Proposed adjustments to merchandising plan / anchors retail mix
- Subsequent refinements of mechanising plan to take account of study findings.
- Evaluate retail market allocation rate and determine to what extent further retail outside The Souks should be allowed
- Position of the Beirut City Centre within the region
- Advise whether the project should proceed and if so in what format.
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| 2003 |
Dubai Marina Shopping Centre, Dubai |
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| To examine plans for proposed shopping centre forming an integral part of Dubai Marina, advise upon configuration and layout. Comment upon services with special reference to the large number of dining outlets being proposed. Develop a merchandise / tenant mix for the first five years of the project relative to the need to provide retail facilities for the residents, to include a supermarket, combined with developing a retail and dining destination compatible with a marina/dockside environment.
Description of proposed development
* Retail : 5,000 m2
* Units: 40
* Supermarket
* Restaurants : 10 (43% by area)
* Parking 500 cars
* Initial residential : 1,500 units
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| 2002 |
Report on the Market for Shop Fitting in the GCC |
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| To undertake with regard to a corporate buy-out a detailed market research study of all existing and planned shopping centres in the Arabian Gulf and then establish potential for shop fitting business through out the region. Simultaneously carry out a personal confidential questionnaire of leading retailers and other key retail industry decision-makers on the qualities or otherwise of the twenty leading shopfitting companies operating in the region.
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| 2000/01 |
Shopping Centre, Seeb, Muscat, Oman |
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| To undertake a full market study for the subject shopping centre which was already under construction to include market positioning, themeing, merchandise and tenant mix, leasing and management advice. The owner had no previous experience of developing and operating a shopping centre. The requirement therfore was to provide an as detailed a guide as possible of all the key stages critical to achieve successful leasing of the project.
Description of the development
* Gross Retail: 33,950 m2
* Rentable: 16,076 m2
* Retail Units: 80
* Anchor store : 1 Junior anchors : 13
* Cinemas: 2
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| 1999 |
Mercato Mall, Jumeirah, Dubai |
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| To examine the market and develop a concept for a new destination shopping mall on land already owned by the client, adjacent to Town Centre shopping centre also owned by the client. Carryout a full feasibility and market study.
Description of proposed development
* Gross Building Area : 71,000 m2
* Gross Retail : 37,000 m2
* Net Retail : 23,000 m2
* 7 screen Century Cinema
* Spinneys Food Store 4,000m2
* Parking 1,000
* Cost $112,000,000
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| 1997/2000 |
The establishment of Al Ghurair Retail, Dubai |
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| To exclusively represent on a fully retained basis Al Ghurair Group internationally in the identification and introduction into the Middle East of retail equity partners on a non-franchise basis. Provide wide-ranging strategic advice on international and regional retail issues.
Joint venture partnerships concluded with international retailers including:
- Austin Reed - Great Britain
- Springfield – Spain
- Salamander – Germany
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| Countrywide shopping centre consultancywork advising on the development, feasibilty and marketing of shopping centres in the leading cities, including, Warsaw, Gdansk, Poznan.
Assignment in conjunction with Oncor International |
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Middle East Generally |
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| Prior to forming Retail International® in 1993, Simon Thomson in his capacity as Equity Partner in two of the UK’s leading firm’s of international real estate consultants with offices in the Middle East over a period of some 20 years was variously responsible for advising upon the development and undertaking the subsequent leasing and management for such pioneering shopping centres that include, Bahrain Commercial Complex; Yateem Centre, Bahrain; and Al A’Ali Shopping Complex, Bahrain.
Simon Thomson also contributes regularly to key leading journals on retail issues in the Middle East and is a frequent speaker at international shopping centre conferences.
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| Wide ranging professional and development work on shopping centres, commercial complexes and office buildings in Spain, Germany, United Kingdom. |
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