Kiwi Property to lose another executive
Kiwi Property general retail portfolio manager Karl Retief has resigned after 17 years with New Zealand’s largest listed property company.
Retief’s plans to leave in September were announced just a month after Kiwi Property’s chief executive, Chris Gudgeon, revealed his intention to step down in September next year.
Gudgeon said Retief had made a ‘‘very significant contribution’’ to the company.
‘‘Over a period of significant growth, Karl has helped forge what is today a high-quality, experienced and committed retail team focused on creating exceptional experiences for our customers and tenants.’’
The recent shake-up in Kiwi Property’s executive team has included the appointment of Rebecca Oliphant to the the position of strategy manager.
Oliphant comes to the property firm from a role as the head of strategy and business development at the Bank of New Zealand.
The Kiwi Property retail division managed a portfolio made up of seven shopping centres and two ‘‘lifestyle retail centres’’ under Retief.
This included Auckland’s Sylvia Park and LynnMall, North City in Porirua, The Plaza in Palmerston North, and Northlands in Christchurch.
The retail portfolio made up 68 per cent of Kiwi Property’s $3 billion total assets.
Retief’s was involved in a $19.2 million upgrade to two new stores for fashion giants Zara and H&M to New Zealand as part of a $280 million plan to extend Sylvia Park.
The two retailers opened their first New Zealand stores there late last year.
Retief previously worked at retail chain Farmers Deka, which oversaw department stores Farmers and Deka before Deka closed its stores in 2001, and turned 17 of them into Farmers sites.
The company was a subsidiary of Perth-based retail giant Foodland Associated, which also ran Countdown prior to the takeover of Foodland Associated by Independent Grocers of Australia.
Retief also held a retail role at fashion brand Truworths.
He was chairman of the New Zealand Council of Shopping Centres between 2011 and 2014 and since 2012 he has been a member of the International Council of Shopping Centers Asia Pacific Advisory Board.