Pareto Limited shopping centres have won both of the South African shopping centre industry’s highest accolades – the 2017 Spectrum Award for Retail Development and Design and the 2017 Spectrum Award for Shopping Centre Marketing.

Only two Spectrum Awards are presented each year by the South African Council of Shopping Centres; one for the overall winner of the Retail Development and Design Awards and the other for the overall winner of the Footprint Marketing Awards.

Pareto’s extension and refurbishment of Menlyn Park Shopping Centre scooped the Spectrum Award for Retail Development and Design, and the launch of Pareto’s Cresta Shopping Centre’s new Food and Entertainment Court won the Spectrum Award for Shopping Centre Marketing.

Malose Kekana, Pareto Group CEO, says: “Winning these Spectrum Awards is indeed a great honour and an accomplishment that our people and partners can be tremendously proud of. It is by providing superior customer experience through its properties that Pareto generates sustainable and diversified total returns for its investors.”

Menlyn Park Shopping Centre is owned and developed by Pareto Limited and managed by Mowana Properties. It has undergone a transformational renovation and reconfiguration to become the largest centre in Africa and incorporates over 500 stores.

Cresta Shopping Centre is owned by Pareto Limited and it is managed and marketed by Mowana Properties. Its new Food and Entertainment Court launch became a finalist for the Spectrum Award by winning a Gold Footprint Award in the category Grand Opening: Expansion and Renovation.

Pareto’s shopping mall assets performed exceptionally well overall in the Footprint Marketing Awards, clinching an impressive five of only nine gold awards presented. Of these, two were awarded to Sandton City, two to Westgate Regional Shopping Centre and one to Cresta. Shopping centres owned by Pareto also scooped a dozen silver and bronze awards.

More information from Nozipho Khumalo, Tel: 011 258 6800 / www.pareto.co.za

Professionalisation of Commercial Property management Launched in South Africa

The internationally acclaimed Institute of Real Estate Management (IREM) Certified Property Manager (CPM) certification was launched by The South African Institute of Black Property Practitioners (SAIBPP) through a partnership with WITS University and Pareto Ltd, commercial retail property investment fund on the 18th of August 2017.

The certification of this nature is the very first in the African continent. The Pareto IREM CPM designation is currently being offered as an eight-day winter school programme at the WITS Professional Development Hub and is currently only available to existing holders of the WITS Post Graduate Diploma in Property Development and Management.

The first intake of South African IREM Certified Property Managers, who were by sponsored Pareto Ltd, graduated at the end of the month of August at one of the top three ‘Best Universities in Africa’, WITS University, which is currently the only non-American University that is accredited to offer the IREM CPM designation

“As the leading retail property investor in South Africa, we are passionate about investing in developing a sustainable and high quality local skills base. This partnership with IREM will not only assist in raising local standards of commercial property management but will also assist in fast-tracking access to the industry for new entrants,” says CEO of Pareto Ltd, Malose Kekana.

IREM is a United States based community of real estate managers dedicated to ethical business practices, maximizing the value of investment real estate, and promoting high level management through education and information sharing.

The organisation, which has been operating for 8 decades, now boasts a global membership of 20 000 individuals, 570 corporate members and 14 international chapters and it has also been working with SAIBPP for over 20 years with the aim “to cooperatively build a foundation of ongoing education and professional credibility to enhance the stature of property managers in South Africa”, according to the first protocol agreement, signed by then Chairperson, Mr. Saul Gumede.

Pareto Limited’s Cresta Shopping Centre secured its place among the top honourees in the prestigious Solal Marketing Awards for 2017, announced in Vienna, Austria in June.

The Solal Awards are an initiative of the International Council of Shopping Centres (ICSC) and bring together the very best of retail marketing across Europe and South Africa to reward those with the most effective campaigns. Recognising best practice and outstanding marketing performance, the Solal Awards are seen as a benchmark of quality throughout the industry.

Pareto’s Cresta Shopping Centre received a Silver Award in the Customer Services category, recognising excellence and innovation in customer service and experience, and holds the honour of being the only mall in South Africa to achieve in the awards this year.

“The award further entrenches the Pareto Group’s mission to provide superior customer experience through its properties to generate sustainable and diversified total return for its shareholders”, said Malose Kekana, group CEO of Pareto.

Elena Yiallouris, Marketing Manager at Cresta Shopping Centre further explains, “The aim of the campaign was to predict potential shopper ‘pain points’ and then provide a convenient and pleasant experience through excellent customer service and a dynamic approach to problem solving. We wanted to show that Cresta cares and that the centre is more than just a place to shop. The entire Cresta team is thrilled to be the recipient of such a highly esteemed award. ”

More information from Nozipho Khumalo, Tel: 011 258 6800 / www.pareto.co.za