UPDATED
The International Council of Shopping Centers (ICSC) has struck collaborative membership agreements with four industry councils, including the Shopping Centre Council of Australia (SCCA).
The ICSC has also made membership agreements with the Shopping Centres Association of India (SCAI), and the British and French Councils of Shopping Centres.
The announcement was made during the global delegate’s breakfast at ICSC’s RECon, the world’s largest retail real estate convention.
The agreement, effective immediately, will make them Member Companies of ICSC, providing their membership base with all the benefits and services of ICSC.
“These collaborative agreements are a significant step towards strengthening the global shopping center industry,” said Michael Kercheval, president and CEO of ICSC.
“ICSC is confident that other countries and shopping center councils across the world will follow suit and form an even greater and more unified industry.” ICSC will collaborate with the councils to provide education, advocacy, research and networking opportunities for the retail real estate industry in those countries. They will work together to develop publications, workshops, programs and other events as well.
“Shopping Centres Association of India’s collaboration with ICSC will help SCAI to provide its members educational programs customized for the Indian sector and insights into international best practices,” said Guruduth Prabhu, VP, SCAI.
“It will also help us to enhance our membership base, as well as the association’s influence in India in the retail real estate space. I am confident that the relationship will be beneficial to our members.”
The SCCA will not only work closely with ICSC to develop co-branded programs, but will also assist ICSC in playing a leadership role in helping to grow the shopping center industry in the Asia-Pacific region.
Steven Sewell, the Chairman of the SCCA, said formal collaboration with the ICSC was the fulfilment of a long-standing objective of the SCCA.
“Our industry is global in reach and the ICSC plays an important role in fostering and developing the shopping centre and retail industries around the world”, Sewell said.
“The Shopping Centre Council of Australia is proud to be part of the ICSC‟s international family
“This Collaboration Agreement will give our industry greater exposure to international trends, research, global markets, international events and other networking opportunities.
“Our industry is global in reach and ICSC plays an important role in fostering and developing the shopping center and retail industries around the world.
“The SCCA is proud to be a part of the ICSC international family.” With the addition of the British and French Shopping Centre Councils, ICSC’s European membership has increased to 7000, an all-time high for the organization.
“The importance of ICSC’s expanded membership in Europe should not be underestimated,” said Alexander Otto, chair of ICSC’s European Board.
“It significantly strengthens ICSC Europe’s voice when it speaks out on behalf of the industry.”
“We are delighted to be signing this agreement, which will greatly assist the French shopping center industry in its ambitious international developments by providing its members with ICSC expertise, advocacy and networking opportunities,” said Jean-Michel Silberstein, director general of the French Council of Shopping Centers.
Founded in 1957, ICSC is the premier global trade association of the shopping center industry. Its more than 60,000 members in more than 90 countries include shopping center owners, developers, managers, marketing specialists, investors, retailers, and brokers, as well as academics and public officials. As the global industry trade association, ICSC links with more than 25 national and regional shopping center councils throughout the world
