Let’s meet Mireia R. Burguera, Leasing Director
-Read the interview in Spanish, French and Polish-
This month we are happy to introduce Mireia Rodríguez Burguera, Leasing Director at ROS Retail Outlet Shopping. Mireia has been with us since 2015 and is responsible for the company’s leasing strategy and approach.
Mireia, you are in charge of the whole ROS leasing strategy. What would you say is the best approach to successful leasing in retail real estate?
Understanding the market, the specific project, and the clients that will visit that project is crucial. The same brand can achieve excellent results in one project while facing problems in another. Therefore, comprehending the unique characteristics of the location is essential for creating the most appealing brand mix for that project. It’s about proposing the right project to the right brand.
Which of your past or current projects are you most proud of?
I am proud of all the projects in our portfolio, each one is different and each one has its own story behind. Projects grow in different directions, at a different speed and with specific characteristics. From the outside they might seem very similar, but for me each one has its hours and hours of negotiations, strategic meetings and other details that make each project unique and therefore difficult to choose which one I am most proud of!
After many years working in this sector though, there is still a feeling that is hard to explain, the sense of accomplishment when you visit a successful project, bustling with people who are happy and engaged in shopping… As you walk around and observe the project in its state, you can’t help but reflect on the past, when that very location was nothing more than a green field. Back then, you were there, trying to show brands where their unit would be built, hoping they could envision how the project would come to life and how their store would fit in to the grand picture. This is a magic feeling.
What would you say to someone who is interested in pursuing a career in Leasing?
First of all, this is a wonderful career where after a while you get to know everyone. However, it is hard and it requires a lot of perseverance and resilience. There are good days and worse days as well as a lot of challenges, but the most important thing is to never give up.
What did you dream of becoming when you were a child?
It’s quite funny… When adults used to ask me what I wanted to be when I grew up, my response was always: I’ll live two years in one country, two years in another, then another two years in a different country… My aspirations were somehow unclear in terms of what I’d be doing, but it was always clear to me that I wanted to travel extensively. While I may not be moving to a new country every two years as I did when I was younger, I find myself working in different countries, and therefore traveling frequently, taking planes and trains every week.
What do you value most about yourself?
I like being with people, negotiating and mediating, it just gives me the adrenalin I need to wake up at 3.30 am, like today, to catch a plane for several meetings in Madrid, and then taking an early train tomorrow to be in Zaragoza… I am a lucky person, I have a lot of fun in my job, I enjoy it and it allows me to be in touch with many people and keep traveling as I dreamed when I was a kid.
Tell us in one sentence where you see ROS in the next ten years
In the coming years, I see ROS will continue to expand exponentially in the European outlet market, which, thanks to its unique concept and great adaptability, has shown remarkable resilience especially in times of uncertainty as we have seen in recent years.