Month: October 2020

Property Management feature: Innovative examples of how companies are making buildings as safe as possible during the pandemic.

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Despite Covid providing shopping centres with challenges, leisure and retail centres remain the heart and soul of the community. The moment a retail reopening date was confirmed, Portus Retails’ focus was on our property management elements and running successful centres post lockdown.  We immediately turned our attention to social media and digital marketing for one of our shopping centres, Docks Bruxsel, to publicise our strict health & safety guidelines.

Customers and tenants alike were eager to hear how the shopping centre was as safe as possible. We introduced hand sanitisation stations, opened doors and the roof to allow better air circulation and aircon switched off, security teams checking use of face masks and size of groups entering while complying with regulations, social distancing markers and queuing systems, clear signage on number of permitted customers per store to obey with regulations and social distancing. All of this combined with clear and concise messaging (including POS) regarding the importance of health and wellbeing of customers and staff, we believe aided us in getting our customers and staff back swiftly. 

Meticulous enforcing and policing of the regulations outlined in our communication were implemented including, but not limited to: split staggering teams to ensure Covid isolation bubbles, deep cleaning of any store with temporary closure if any staff developed symptoms, pedestrian flow counts and hot spots using security teams to review footfall counter and live feedback from WiFi beacons to actively manage overcrowding situations and avoid breaking social distancing guidelines. 

Overall, with careful precision, providing customers with a delicate balance of reopening excitement and education on safety, Docks Bruxsel has been very successful, achieving 99% of the footfall compared to the same period in 2019, highlighting the safe and precautionary measures put in place for Covid, customer experience has not been affected. 

For further information please contact the PR team: 

lauren.hillyer@bwpgroup.com | +44 7970 242 134

Portus Retail are hiring

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We’re now looking to add to the team. We can offer either full or part-time working, focused on our current assets and assisting with new opportunities.

Finance and Commercial Manager – Chiswick

Key responsibilities and role:

Working across our existing portfolio, to provide financial oversight and performance management of key external suppliers including the respective auditors, corporate accountants and tax advisors to each asset.

  • Assist in the preparation of periodic investor and shareholder reports, including actual vs budget analysis, forecasting and cash-flow management.
  • Provide NAV, covenant or other KPI analysis to shareholders on request.
  • Lead on the preparation of annual budgets for the respective Holding Companies and where necessary, to assist our local property managers with property-level budgeting and forecasting.
  • Manage the reporting, covenant testing and relationship management with the lending banks.
  • Constantly challenge, improve and manage the processes relating to payment of corporate and structure costs
  • Design, develop and manage a financial appraisal model that allows Portus to test the viability of asset management initiatives and potential acquisitions.
  • Assist with initial due diligence, financial underwriting and preparing investor committee presentations for new opportunities.
  • Take responsibility for key work-streams through the asset acquisition or disposal process including tax efficient corporate structuring (to be supported via external advisors per jurisdiction)
  • Liaise with nominated third party consultants, such as Valuers and Property Managers, to ensure data flow and accuracy.

About You

  • Ideally an economics/finance/investment/real estate background
  • At least 3 years post qualification experience, in either a finance or real estate environment
  • Strong academic background and appropriate accounting qualification
  • Experience with Yardi as a property management and reporting tool
  • Good understanding of financial modelling and valuation methodology (advanced excel, Microsoft Office required)
  • Ability to demonstrate some asset management or transactional experience
  • Team player, but wanting to work in a small, focused environment
  • Based in the UK (London Chiswick) but able to travel in Europe as required
  • A desire to work in a growing, Client-side business • Strong work ethic and attention to detail
  • Excellent written and verbal communication skills
  • Languages desirable (French/German)

Contact Us
hello@portusretail.com