URW names Parsons as UK COO in group leadership rejig

Unibail-Rodamco-Westfield has shaken up its leadership structure to “empower” its geographical strategies, with Scott Parsons taking on a new title as chief operating officer for the UK. This means the UK will be Parsons’ sole geographical focus, having previously been regional managing director for the UK and Italy. Anne-Sophie Sancerre will now look after URW’s operations in Italy, as chief operating officer for France, Spain and Italy. In addition to his new title, Parsons will oversee three “centres of excellence” within the group’s corporate activities. These are: Concept Studio Europe, which comprises URW’s in-house architects and designers; construction in Europe; and events in Europe. Parsons said: “The focus on customer is paramount in our approach and something that is very much at the heart of everything we do here in the UK.” Both Parsons and Sancerre will report to new chief executive Jean-Marie Tritant, alongside three other regional chief operating officers. The quintet will oversee the country management teams in each group. The five regional focuses are: Northern Europe, led by Jurn Hoeksema, COO the Nordics and the Netherlands Central Europe, led by Arnaud Burlin, COO Germany and Austria, Central Europe Southern Europe, led by Anne-Sophie Sancerre, COO France, Spain, Italy UK, led by Scott Parsons, COO UK US, led by Dominic Lowe, COO US. These five regional leaders will join an executive committee that also consists of the group’s five-member management board and its executive managing directors. This will be led by Tritant, who will chair the executive committee. The listed landlord has also added chief investment officer Olivier Bossard and chief resources officer Astrid Panosyan to its management board, as well as interim chief customer officer Michel Dessolain. Bossard, who joined Unibail in 1998, will oversee the group’s strategy for deleveraging through disposals, as well as efforts to create value through a “targeted allocation of resources”. Panosyan will lead the group’s organisational changes to boost its “effectiveness and efficiency”, while focusing its resources on essential activities and continuing to lead its “Better Places 2030” CSR strategy. She joined the group in 2015. Until the group appoints a permanent chief customer officer, Dessolain will be responsible for the group’s strategic marketing, innovation, data, digital marketing and new revenues. Dessolain was previously chief operating officer for Europe. The trio joins Tritant and new chief financial officer Fabrice Mouchel on the board. Both stepped into their new roles earlier this month, after a shareholder revolt against plans for a €3.5bn (£3.1bn) equity issue last year. URW said its management board aims to lead a “more decentralised URW”, with “empowered regions operating close to their markets and a simplified corporate centre”.   To send feedback, e-mail pui-guan.man@egi.co.uk or tweet @PuiGuanM or @estatesgazette