PRESS RELEASE
RED Developments launches in South Africa
August 2008
A RED-hot property development company is blazing a trail on the local and international scene.Not only is it promoting green, but it also has a highly focusedtake on designs that actually work for the customer.
RED Development, launched earlier this year,is the brainchild of well-known Johannesburg entrepreneur Sidney Bernic (of Fourways Mall fame, amongst others) and retail property guruPaul Simpson,former head of real estate at Woolworths.
RED has launched at a time when the property markets globally are a bit jittery but the visionaries at the helm believe that the property market will recover and that their combined expertise places them in an ideal position to take advantage of the opportunities which do exist.
An A-list team has been assembled for the company including another local retail guru Herman Grobler (ex-Woolworths), financial whiz Warren Rovelli (ex-Billion Group and RMB) and development director Nicky Butler (ex-Matrix Properties).The golden thread that binds the team of five is their years of experience, passion, positive attitude and love for the profession.
Each person brings their own unique contribution to the company – entrepreneurship, retail and design expertise, marketing, financial and development skills.The group has an extensive network and in addition to their own new developments has been invited to participate in a number of collaborative projects by large development and property groups.
What separates RED from the rest in the field is their differentiation through design. Every inch of space is workedwith the customer in mind, so you’re getting more per square metre than your average design.
And says Grobler, “We get our direction from the customer.” He and Simpson understand consumer behaviour well; Grobler was at Woolies for 10 years and Simpson for 19.“We have spent years understanding what makes customers tick, what attracts or turns off a customer and whether the retail offering will tempt the customer to part with her hard earned cash. With this in mind, our designs will have consumer logic everywhere.” Simpson adds that they know that if you have a happy customer you have a loyal customer. “If it works for the customer, it works for the developer and by applying similar logic on our office, commercial and industrial projects we can create the same type of design advantages.”
Simpson, who was one of the founding Directors of theGreen Building Council of South Africa, is passionate about the sustainability of their designs,“It makes moral and commercial sense and RED will be taking advantage of every opportunity to turn green”, he says.
The teamis working on a number of retail and office projects with the largest being Celebration, a mixed-use development on a prime 43-hectare site in North Riding, Gauteng. With over 75,000m² of office and commercial space together with retail, residential and a hotel the project will take over 3 years to complete.
South Africa is not the only market that the team isplaying in. All have international experience. For one, Grobler played a major role in the expansion of Woolworths across Africa and the Middle East.“Red Developments has already landed a retail development in Maputo and we will be venturing into other selected countries as well” says Grobler. “It’s a market we know well.”
ENDS
EDITOR’S NOTES
Paul Simpson – CEO
Before filling the role of CEO of RED Holdings, Paul was the Head of Real Estate and a Senior Executive on the Executive Committee of Woolworths (PTY) Ltd. In the 19 years Paul spent at Woolworths, he was tasked with the responsibility of the strategic growth, planning and delivery through real estate and was involved in the opening of 300 new stores across South Africa, Africa and the Middle East. Paul was responsible for a Property Portfolio of R1.2bn and directly developed a number of shopping centers, offices and industrial properties.
Prior to joining Woolworths, Paul worked for GroupFiveBuilding, as an Alternate Director and prior to that as a Senior Contract Manager for Sleeman Construction.
Paul served as President of the South African Council of Shopping Centers for three years and also served on the Board of Directors and has been a National Councilor of the organization for a total of eight years. Paul was also the Founding Director of the Green Building Council of South Africa.
Warren Rovelli – Financial Director
Warren Rovelli, who has an MBA, BCompt with CFA and 12 ½ years of experience in the property industry under his belt, fills the role of the Financial Director for RED Holdings. Before joining RED, Warren worked for the Orion Property Group as Financial Director, for RMB Properties, as General Manager Property Trading and Structured Finance and for the Billion Property Group as the Executive Head of Acquisitions & Developments.
Warren’s personal property portfolio involves working on acquisitions, refurbishments and developments including both residential and leisure but focusing on retail. Launching Hermingway’s Regional Shopping Centre and developing Mdantsane City Shopping Centre, both in the Eastern Cape have been two memorable retail projects Warren has been involved in.
Sidney Bernic – Director
RED Holdings visionary and entrepreneur, Sidney Bernic has been involved in the property industry for the past 27 years. Sidney has built up a large group of private companies operating in the healthcare, insurance, property and manufacturing industries.
After identifying a major retail opportunity in 1994, Sidney embarked on transforming the Northern suburbs of Gauteng with the development of Fourways Mall with his company First National Properties. Sidney added Matrix Properties to his company portfolio, when he bought Lonrho’s Properties in 1999.
Sidney believes that RED’s passion for development will differentiate them for other property development companies and his aspirations for the company are to grow a substantial property portfolio and grow the people involved.
Herman Grobler – Director
After completing a BComm Law (Hons) and MBA,Herman started his career in the property industry, when he joined the multi-disciplinary development company, Elmado, whose focus was on convenience shopping centers, filling stations and motor city developments. In 1996, Herman joined Woolworths as a Real Estate Development Manager and helped expand the company, during its aggressive convenience food drive across South Africa. Four years later, as New Business Development Manager and two years thereafter as Head of International Franchise & Business Development, Herman spearheaded the expansion of Woolworths across the rest of the continent, as well as the Middle East.
Herman’s passion in business lies in retail, property and Africa, all areas which he focused on when he opened Idea Works Consultancy in 2005, consulting for clients such as Levi Strauss, Pam Golding, Netcare, Placecol and Woolworths.
Herman joins RED as an entrepreneur, with the understanding and experience in overcoming the complexities of doing business in Africa and the Middle East, as well as the dynamic nature of retail.
Nicky Butler – Director
Nicky joins RED Holdings with a Bsc Building Degree from PretoriaUniversity and 23 years of experience gained in the property industry working for Dorbyl and Matrix Projects.
As a Development Director, Nicky is involved in all aspects of property development including land assembly, acquisitions, town planning, environmental planning and design and implementing retail, commercial, industrial, showrooms and medical property developments.
Nicky was one of five women professionals who formed the core of the Fourways Mall development team and has been nominated for a WPN (Women’s Property Network) Five Star Woman’s Award.
Issued on behalf of:RED Development
Issued by:liquidlingo Communications
Contact:Monique Postema / Jackie Busch
+27 21 424 1530
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