Thomas Hofer, Director - Real Estate Management Services

Thomas Hofer

Director - Real Estate Management Services

Colliers International

Location
United Arab Emirates - Dubai
Education
Master's degree, Masters of Management - MBA Program
Experience
6 years, 5 Months

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Work Experience

Total years of experience :6 years, 5 Months

Director - Real Estate Management Services at Colliers International
  • Vietnam
  • March 2010 to February 2011

Duties Include:
• Proactive property asset management asset management, development consultancy, property management, commercial leasing & facility management (shopping centres, offices buildings, hotels & mixed-use real estate). Leadership of property management teams including Bitexco Financial Tower that is currently the tallest building in Vietnam; Prepare written reports for executive management on all aspects of performance, operations, reporting & financials including arrears control, marketing and business planning.
• Consulting in commercial real estate field including management and execution of shopping mall and mixed use real estate consultancy services including concept development, development & design consultancy, site feasibility studies including DCF analysis, marketing, leasing strategy development, retail tenant mix planning and leasing.

Key Achievements:
• Completion the IPC Tower project and obtain statutory Vietnamese government approvals and occupancy certificate after establishing of managing team including Property Management, Leasing, Accounts & Finance including ERP system procurement, Engineering & Facilities Management, Customer Service departments and a prestigious Grand Opening for Vietnamese government property development company Tan Thuan Industrial Promotion Company Ltd.
• Marketing of a major mixed use development site to international investors


Reason for Leaving: Completion of one year contract and career objective with an international real estate development company.

Shopping Mall Manager (Fixed Term Contract) at Brookfield Asset Management Ltd
  • Australia
  • November 2009 to January 2010

Duties Include:
• Proactive property asset management and finalizing the sale of a regional shopping centre in Australia owned by subsidiary of Brookfield Asset Management. Leadership of centre management team; Prepare written reports for executive management on all aspects of performance, operations, reporting & financials including arrears control, marketing and retail business planning.

Key Achievements:
• Major reduction with Debtors by reducing the Arrears (30-120+ days) by more than 95% in first four weeks from approximately $200, 000 to $5, 000


Reason for Leavng: Fixed Term Contract & Sale of Shopping Mall to private investor

Director at Rakeen Development PJsc
  • United Arab Emirates - Ras Al Khaimah
  • February 2009 to November 2009

Duties Include:
• Reports directly to RAKEEN's Chairman / CEO and Chief Operating Officer and coordinates with other Division Directors on issues relevant and responsible for global Rakeen Development (UAE) PJSc "Shopping Mall Projects" and “Mixed Use Development” under construction and in the planning stage located: United Arab Emirates; Georgia; Iran; Armenia; Syria; Kyrgyzstan and Rakeen's future "Retailing Businesses"


Key Achievements:
• Implementation of some of the requirements of the International Finance Corporation (IFC) for the B Loan Disbursement for Rakeen Uptown Development LLC’s Uptown Tbilisi mixed use development project under instructions from Chairman
• Leasing with a focus on anchor tenants (retail and commercial office); preparation for submission for multinational office tenant leasing requirement of 3, 000m2
• Preparation for updated retail tenant mix; lease contract documentation issues;
• Review of design and rectification of design issues for Uptown Tbilisi (mixed use development including a shopping mall - 65, 000 square metres lettable area + two commercial office towers, residential towers and a hotel);
• Hospitality Asset Management for Rakeen Development’s hospitality investments including the Sheraton Metechi Palace Hotel in Tbilisi with significant improvements in housekeeping, F&B and enhanced customer services

Reason for leaving company: All the international mixed use development projects were placed “On-Hold” following instructions to Executive Chairman & CEO - Dr. Khatter Massaad personal adviser to His Highness Sheikh Saud bin Saqr Al Qasimi, the crown prince and deputy ruler of Ras Al Khaimah that funds were not available to projects outside Rak, United Arab Emirates. Factors included the Global Financial Crisis and in Tbilisi, Georgia where I was mainly based from the 2008-2009 Georgia-Russia crisis.

Chief Property Officer / Deputy CEO at Development Solutions LLC
  • Georgia
  • July 2008 to January 2009

Duties Include:
• Provide leadership and strategic planning for Development Solutions property portfolio
• Develop company Standard Operating Procedures across the Property Development; Marketing & PR; Sales and Leasing departments. Implementation of Hotel Management Agreement and the Technical Services Agreement for Radisson SAS Iveria Hotel.
• Master planning; appointment of consultants
• Project Delivery Method Analysis - Lump sum design bid build contract (DBB); Construction Management (CM); Design and Construct (D&C); Cost plus; negotiated lump sum; Guaranteed Maximum Price (GMP); Cost-Plus Guaranteed Maximum Price.

Key Achievements:
• Rose Revolution Square shopping mall: Market identification; Project Positioning; Selection of architects for finalization of concept and detailed design documentation
• Appointment of Jones Lang LaSalle as consultants for services
• Resolution of contractual issues and project management issues of Development Solutions projects with Hill International
• Improvements in design and rectification of master planning, concept and schematic plan designs (Hotels, Residential, Commercial and Retail projects)
• Implementation of Hotel Management Agreement and the Technical Services Agreement for Radisson SAS Iveria Hotel.
• Proposal for Equity Funding for real estate holding company in association with Arthur D Little


Reason for leaving company: Funding withdrawn by banks as result of several factors included the Global Financial Crisis and immediate effects of the Russia-Georgian conflict.

(I was the only Australian who remained in Tbilisi, Georgia throughout the Russia-Georgian war despite multiple requests by Australian government officials to depart.

Retail Properties Director at Aswaq Management & Services Dubai LLC
  • United Arab Emirates - Dubai
  • March 2006 to July 2008

Duties Include:
• Provide direction and strategic planning for Dubai Properties LLC retail property portfolio expansion as Head of the in-house outsourced team for Dubai Properties LLC retail property division responsible for client shopping centre portfolio.
• Develop company Standard Operating Procedures across the key disciplines of shopping mall development, asset & property management, retail planning, leasing and marketing.
• Asset Planning for new projects including tenancy mix and retail strategy
• Shopping Centre Management
• Development of strategic five year business plan


Key Achievements:
• Creation of a professional shopping centre development & management team from inception;
• The Walk at Jumeirah Beach Residence, a mixed-used project, 22 million square feet of built up area and the longest shopping destination in the world anchored by Saks Fifth Avenue with over 860, 000 square feet of retail space encompassing over 350 retail units along 1.7 km making it the largest single phase development project with 40 high rise towers.
• Retail tenancy Mix Planning and analysis, develop and implement the leasing budget & plans to achieve optimum value for Business Bay and Culture Village and leading a leasing team achieving over 90% fully leased for The Walk - JBR six months before completion;
• Legal & issuing instructions to lawyers including drafting of Lease Contracts in compliance to Islamic Sharia law
• Complete tenancy mix analysis, develop and implement the leasing budget & plans to achieve optimum value for the owner and the optimum tenancy mix with leases to leading Middle East & International brand retailers;
• Bawabat Ajman a mixed use development project on behalf of the client R Holding’s for the USD$4 Billion The Emirates City (mixed use development with an estimated population of 150, 000 residents on completion).

Reason for leaving company: Completion of World's largest single stage project & establishment of Dubai Retail LLC by client.

Vice President at INMAIA - Real Estate, Tourism, Investment & Development Co. Ltd
  • Saudi Arabia - Riyadh
  • September 2005 to March 2006

Duties Include:
• Provide direction and strategic planning in INMAIA’s portfolio expansion
• Develop company Standard Operating Procedures across the key disciplines of asset & property management, retail planning, leasing, marketing and facilities management
• Head of Shopping Centre Division responsible for Inmaia’s shopping centre portfolio
• Project Delivery Method Analysis - Lump sum design bid build contract (DBB); Construction Management (CM); Design and Construct (D&C); Cost plus; negotiated lump sum; Guaranteed Maximum Price (GMP); Cost-Plus Guaranteed Maximum Price.

Key Achievements:
• Creation of a professional shopping centre development & management team from inception;
• Development and provision of best practice international standards for shopping centre management and development; Recruitment and hiring staff, setting up functional departments and develop and implement policies and procedures for the overall operation of the Shopping Centre division including Chart of Accounts, Shopping Mall Management Procedures and Leasing documentation, letters of offer, lease contract and negotiate terms and conditions of lease.
• Complete tenancy mix analysis, develop and implement the leasing budget & plans to achieve optimum value for the owner and the optimum tenancy mix with leases to leading Middle East & International brand retailers.
• Launching & marketing of Lemall@5 to achieve a successful opening of Le Mall@5 (75, 000 m2 GLAR) and liaison with Carrefour executive’s & CEO to achieve the highest opening day sales of any Carrefour in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
• Development of Central Park Shopping Mall (approx 125, 000 m2 GLAR) that anchored by Geant (under construction).
• Successfully integrate into a foreign working environment.

Reason for leaving company: Replacement of highly respected CEO - H.E. Ghassan Sulaihim following a Board Member after completion of Le Mall @ 5 Shopping Mall project (Saudi Arabia).

General Manager at GRS - XGC JV Ltd
  • China
  • September 2004 to August 2005

Duties & Key Achievements:

• Liaison between JV parties prior to signing of JV Contract; Development of Business & Implementation Plans, Reporting to the Board; Business Development; Implementation of procedures and responsible managing a large team of staff for the Property & Facility Management for the Xi’an Gaoke Group’s (Largest State Property Developer in Shaanxi Province, China) portfolio of commercial office buildings and shopping malls with the Zeiwei Mall ( 200, 000 square metres) under construction and a property portfolio totaling approximately 1.2 million square metres in area.
• Setting up the property & facilities management department from start, including systems and procedures, staff hiring and training, managing tenant fit-outs, construction handovers, sub contractor sourcing and tendering, leasing, operations and facilities management.
• Provide direction and strategic planning with Property Portfolio; Develop company Standard Operating Procedures across the key disciplines of property & facilities management, retail planning, leasing, marketing; Asset Planning for new projects.
• Managing Port Plaza Shopping Center in Zhuhai, Guangdong Province, China - 70, 000 square metres (770, 000 Square Feet) & approximately 1, 100 shops and managing teams of over 100 staff (Chinese nationals) on behalf of the owners.
• Project management of major redevelopment of Shopping Mall, project leasing with International Brand retailers with the project including the refurbishment of 70 new stores.
• Oversaw the very successful market re-launch of Port Plaza Shopping Center which resulted in more than 150, 000 people visiting the shopping mall each day of the opening
• Recruited of staff members & designed & implemented training programs and in-house seminars for local Chinese (PRC) staff in international “best practices.


Reason for leaving company: Completion of my one year contract and the completion of a Major Shopping Centre Redevelopment in Zhuhai, China

Education

Master's degree, Masters of Management - MBA Program
  • at MACQUARIE GRADUATE SCHOOL MANAGEMENT
  • December 2000
Bachelor's degree, Bachelor of Applied Science – Property Economics
  • at QUEENSLAND UNIVERSITY TECHNOLOGY
  • December 1995

Commercial Real Estate Asset Management Property Development Construction Management Valuation Accounting Law

Bachelor's degree, Engineering
  • at QUEENSLAND UNIVERSITY TECHNOLOGY
  • December 1991

Specialties & Skills

Management Development
Marketing
Strategic Planning
Asset Management
Property Management
Shopping Mall & Mixed-use Real Estate Developments
Operations & Facilities Management
Property Asset Management, Shopping Malls and Strata Management
Sales and Leasing; Retail Leasing; Marketing & PR

Languages

English
Expert
Arabic
Beginner
Mandarin
Beginner
Vietnamese
Beginner

Memberships

Middle East Council of Shopping Centers
  • Regional Board Member
  • April 2005
International Council of Shopping Centers
  • Member
  • April 2005
ROYAL INSTITUTE OF CHARTERED SURVEYORS
  • Senior Route to MRICS
  • May 2008
AUSTRALIAN PROPERTY INSTITUTE
  • Member
  • January 2000