ICSC names Josip Kardun chairman

The International Council of Shopping Centers (ICSC) has named Josip Kardun, chief executive of Atrium Group as its new chairman, unveiling him at the Expo Real in Munich.

Kardun, who has been a member of the ICSC European Advisory Board since 2008 and was named vice-chair since January this year, replaces Alexander Otto who has been the ICSC’s chairman for the past three years, helping the trade association to increase its members numbers.

Commenting on his appointment, Kardun said: “I feel very honoured to succeed Alexander Otto in this function. I look forward to this new challenge and to strengthen the shopping center industry in Europe even further."

Kardun joined Atrium from European retail property specialists ECE Projektmanagement where he worked for seven years in a number of senior positions and served as chief investment officer and head of the mergers and acquisitions and transaction management group. Prior to joining ECE, he was general manager at Sierra Management Germany GmbH, part of the international shopping centre development and management group Sonae Sierra.

The ICSC, founded in 1957, aims to advance the shopping center industry in Europe and has more than 68,000 members in over 100 countries including shopping centre owners, developers, managers, marketing specialists, investors, retailers and agents, as well as academics and public officials.