Robert Desborough

Head of Real Estate and Business Development for Thailand’s Leading Retail Group

responsible for all property matters for Marks & Spencer owned stores in Asia

Delivery of the Property expansion programme of Reliance Retail incorporating Shopping
Centre, Hypermarkets, Cash & Carry, Supermarket and Convenience formats.
Developed the expansion strategy, acquisition process, team structure and lead and
monitor execution of the plan

Responsible for Strategy, Format Development, Design, Leasing, Marketing and
Management of Tescos Shopping Centre Development Programme in China.
Developed 6 blueprint development prototypes with complete design specifications
ranging from 35km2 infill developments to 125km2 regional shopping Centres.
Developed a Good, Better, Best Design Concept for the Interior Design package for these
developments to ensure the interior design concept had some flex from a standardized
core approach suitable for different catchment markets driving economies of scale.
Developed the LifeSpace brand for Tescos shopping Centres
Oversee the Project development and Construction Management Process for 12 centres
under development at various stages of design/construction.
Developed a 52 week cross functional pre-opening plan co-ordinating all elements of
Tescos operating business and identifying critical path functions and tasks
Developed and executed a Core Retailer approach to tenant marketing securing multiple
countrywide deals with KFC, Holliland, Arcasia Food Courts, Jinyi Cinemas, Watsons,
BestSellers Group, Etam, E-Kids,
In the first 4 months of marketing secured over 100 commitments from retailers to lease
space. Managed 3 leasing teams in Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou to deliver this
programme
Acquired 2 Shopping Centre Developments in Yinkou and Quinhuangdao for 30m gbp and
40 mgbp respectively
Secured Board approval for 10 new leasehold hypermarket acquisitions and oversaw the
contract signing of a further 10 developments
Restructured the Company organization and introduced operational meetings and
procedures to deliver the business plan
12 Shopping centres under development with an average Capex of 60m gbp per project. A
further 10 sites under contract.

Retail
Regional responsibility for advising Clients in respect of Shopping Centre developments
throughout Asia.
Secured a Development Consultancy and Marketing appointment for the Great Eastern
Shopping Centre Project Kuala Lumpur
Advised a Major Malaysian Development Company on the development of a Factory
Outlet Centre
Advised Pusan Municipal Authority on a major retail/mixed use redevelopment project in
Pusan, Korea

Retail
Led the Leasing Team that successfully let the 100k m2 Sunway Pyramid Shopping
Centre & 100k m2 Mines Shopping Fair
Secured 6 Development Consultancy appointments for Shopping Centre Development
projects in Kuala Lumpur(2), Johor Bahru, Penang, Melaka and Miri