The Shopping Centre industry is driven by people. It’s the skills and expertise of the people that manage, develop and evolve shopping centres for their communities that creates this great industry. Shopping Centre News profiles a range of interesting people from the industry each week. This week, we speak to Leighton Hunziker, Director – Retail Services at Savills Australia, who advises and transacts on behalf of retailers on their property requirements, with key international clients including Apple, Sephora, Tag Heuer and New Balance. Leighton reflects on his 27 years in the industry, from managing a centre in Coffs Harbour to leasing IFC Mall in Seoul, Korea.
What is your current role and main responsibilities?
I assist retailers in making informed decisions about real estate. Be it a small retailer or an international client with a portfolio to consider. In this current environment, my team and I are busy working with our clients to secure real estate solutions which will give them the best chance of viability in the long term.
How did you get started in to this industry?
I studied property economics at University, thinking I’d become a valuer. I was blessed to secure a graduate rotation at JLL in 1993 and experienced leasing, hotel management and valuation, and finally shopping centre management. I was hooked. Retail property is such a diverse business with so many moving parts and stakeholders to engage with that it’s impossible to become bored.
Can you tell us a bit about your career history?
In 1995 I started managing some distressed assets: a rookie like me had little chance of making a difference! Nine months later, at the age of 24, I went to Coffs Harbour to manage a challenged centre, and achieved 100% leased for the first time in its history. A proud moment!
Returning to Sydney, I managed a few other centres, before becoming portfolio manager for the ISPT retail and commercial portfolio across Australia, in 2003 moving to Savills to run the management of the ING retail Property Fund in Aus/NZ. It was a great bunch of assets, and we assembled a wonderful team.
In 2007 we moved to Korea for three years to run a few projects including the masterplanning and leasing of IFC Seoul, before returning to Australia in 2010 to establish a retail tenant representation business focusing on delivering great outcomes for retailers.
IFC Mall Seoul – Leighton masterplanned and anchor tenant leased it
It’s been 27 years of highlights, with many more to come!
What has been your hardest career decision?
In 2007, Savills purchased a Korean property business that wanted to develop retail. They sought someone with retail skills to create and lead teams to deliver leasing and management of some big projects where the assets hadn’t been built, and the processes and frameworks to create an investment grade asset didn’t exist. Apart from uprooting my family, I had to set aside pre-conceptions of how business should be done, learn the culture, business practices, and how to recruit, train, and manage a team of talent to deliver something that hadn’t been done in that country before. Every day was challenging yet totally rewarding. Deep end management at its best!
What do you love most about your job?
I love making new connections with people at all levels and all business types and learning about their experiences and businesses, whether it be in property, retail, or anything really. It’s the people that matter.
People do more business with people they like, and I genuinely try to find something to like in as many people as possible!
What do you least like about your job?
Meeting and negotiating with people who have little consideration for how other parties to the transaction are impacted by their actions. “It’s Just Business” is a poor excuse: I assisted a successful small retailer in a large centre a few years back that was getting a raw deal and no franchisor support. She was at the end of the rope (literally). When I communicated this to the leasing exec he said “it’s just business”. It still moves me to this day.
What motivates you?
Attaining a position of equity and justice for our clients. Particularly in the current environment there is a greater need than ever for people to be acting with integrity and in good faith. I am hopeful that any animosity that exists in this business can be put aside to achieve a mutually beneficial common goal for the long term viability of the industry.
What is your most memorable moment of your career?
There’s probably two: My time in Korea.
And starting the Apple relationship in Australia. I’d come home from hospital dog tired after the birth of my first son, to jump on a USA telecall where I had to sign an NDA over the curly paper fax machine. The rest is history.
Leighton, outside the Apple store at Chadstone, Melbourne
What do you think makes a successful shopping centre?
Relevance. A great shopping centre absolutely speaks to the people in its catchment. For some centres it can be glitzy lux, and for others, it can be a kebab shop and a butcher. Over the last decade we’ve seen a lot of tenancy mix determined by rent capacity rather than relevance to the core customer. I’m optimistic that the current situation presents an opportunity for all retail centres to reset and reposition for relevance. Painful but necessary.
How can landlords and retailers work together better?
That’s hard. In some ways their interests are symbiotic, yet in others commercially divergent.
Mutual trust and respect has to be the foundation of any sustainable relationship, and I think that’s the piece that’s most broken and in need of urgent remedy.
The challenge is that these are personal attributes, and leopards (on both sides) find it hard to change spots!
What are some of the trends you are seeing in the industry?
A trend in retail property to go “beyond selling widgets” to usages that we haven’t recently seen in centres. Things that cannot be replicated online and which are personal, relational or experiental will be in demand as increasingly, undifferentiated widget sellers will go the way of the Dodo. Too much retail space is price dependant, and the internet will take care of that!
What’s three words that describe you?
Faithful, Earnest, Reliable
Sephora Opening Day – Leighton worked with Sephora to bring them to Australia
How do you manage stakeholders?
I’m wired economically and tend to see the world through that lense. I reckon that economics is really the study of human behaviour and so I seek to understand what each party wants to achieve. Understanding their context first and foremost, and their motivators is a good way of being able to get problems resolved. Also, communicate clearly and honestly, yet sensitively, even if it’s not going to be what they want to hear.
Did you think you would end up in the role you are in now?
Never. Motivational guru’s talk about career plans and such, which I think is setting yourself up for disappointment. We cannot control the future, but we can control how we respond to it. Life throws up curve balls and it’s how you play them that matters. I’ve always given every opportunity my best and things have always worked out. There’s a lot to be said for being content in your role and giving it your best. Enjoy the moment, because the grass isn’t always greener!
What do you do to keep learning and growing in your career?
I am forever curious. The minute you stop learning you are intellectually dead. I have a wide range of interests that exposes me to much opportunity for intellectual stimulation.
What advice would you give to someone starting in the industry?
Be authentic, be a great communicator, be empathetic. Be curious. The stupidest question is the one you didn’t ask.
What do you do in your leisure time to de-stress?
I lead at our local church youth group- it’s great to see tomorrows citizens grow.
I love woodwork, gardening, car restoration and general tinkering with anything really: I’m happy to give anything a go. Family keeps me firmly grounded. I tend not to stress too much because it’s unhelpful. I cannot add 1 day to my life by worrying!
Leighton will give anything a go
What’s your favourite retailer and why?
Bunnings. I love space, not being hassled to buy. Their staff are knowledgable on the product. Its simple, cheerful, practical. A bit like me!
What is the single most important quality you need to possess to be in this industry?
Authenticity. Integrity cannot be faked.
Want to be profiled? It’s the perfect time to share your career and experience which connects all of us. Contact Belinda Daly: belinda@shoppingcentrenews.com.au
