About Us

The key principles which underpin Sigma Retail Partners’ company ethos are based on an approach which is

collaborative

Bringing the best team together and creating a collaborative approach is key to the success of any significant retail asset. The Directors of Sigma Retail Partners have unparalleled experience in working collaboratively with investors, retailers, banks, developers and their respective professional teams.

We work closely with multi disciplinary professions including solicitors, accountants, agents, property managers, quantity surveyors, engineers, architects and planning consultants to ensure that we collectively deliver the best possible result for our clients.

We have an unrivalled track record of working productively with hundreds of international, national and local retailers and their advisors. We recognise that the traditional, often adversarial landlord and tenant relationship needs to undergo a significant change in Ireland in the best interests of our client’s assets.

decisive

Strong asset managers are leaders and must make a variety of important decisions every day in the interests of adding value to client’s assets. Timely decision making is critical, especially due to the ongoing dramatic change in the ownership of so many significant retail assets.

Poor or slow decision making can result in a loss of confidence from a retailer or shoppers’ perspective, which will inevitably result in detrimental consequences for retail assets.

We draw from our vast asset management experience to ensure that timely and appropriate decisions are made in order to protect and enhance the value of our clients’ assets.

discreet

Sigma Retail Partners respects the importance of discretion and confidentiality. The Managing Director, Marcus Wren, understands this better than most especially given his previous key role with The National Asset Management Agency (NAMA).

strategic

From the outset we create and agree a bespoke strategic plan for each asset, which dovetails with our client's specific objectives. This plan is the roadmap for future key decisions and is regularly monitored and refined in order to ensure the best possible outcome for our clients.

Retail assets are by far the most complex and challenging of all asset classes. Shopping centres, retail parks and town centres need to constantly evolve and improve in response to consumer trends, behavioural patterns and the increasing influence technology is having on the way we shop.

Sigma Retail Partners recognises this need. Our unrivalled experience in the retail property market ensures that our client’s assets remain relevant to retailers and consumers and perform to their maximum potential relative to their location, size and catchment.

Our Team

Marcus Wren MSCSI MRICS

Managing Director | Asset Manager

Over 20 years experience in the retail property market, primarily focusing on Irish real estate with responsibility for dealing with a portfolio of over 100 large scale retail assets throughout Ireland.

Key Responsibilities

  • Lead asset manager in respect of Sigma’s entire portfolio of retail assets with primary responsibility for delivering agreed strategy and identifying new acquisition opportunities
  • Collaboration and negotiation with a wide range of third party service providers and retailers in respect of all aspects of retail asset management and transaction advice including lease restructuring, lettings, disposals, acquisitions and refurbishment
  • Regular reporting to our capital and funding partners at board level
  • Strategic role in the acquisition and disposal of portfolio and individual retail assets throughout Ireland
  • Previously, NAMA’s Senior Retail Property Advisor and co – founder and Director of retail property in Bannon

Qualifications and Memberships

  • Member of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors
  • Member of the Society of Chartered Surveyors
  • Member of the British Council of Shopping Centres
  • Insolvency Diploma, Chartered Accountants Ireland

Neil Bannon MSCSI MRICS BCL

Director | Asset Manager

Over 25 years’ experience in the retail property industry having been involved in over 60% of the Shopping Centres and Retail Parks in Ireland.

Acted as development consultant and letting agent on over 30 shopping centres including Ireland’s most successful retail destination Dundrum Town Centre.

Currently actively involved in over 50 centres across Ireland.

Key Responsibilities

  • Creation of strategic solutions for commercial real estate
  • Advised Dublin City Council, the Dublin Airport Authority, NAMA, Bank of Ireland, AIB and Lloyds on strategy to maximize value of real estate
  • Co-founder of Bannon, Ireland’s largest Retail Property Consultants

Qualifications and Memberships

  • Member of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors
  • Member of the Society of Chartered Surveyors
  • Batchelor of Commercial Law
  • Leading Professional Firms - Harvard Business School
  • Non Administrative Receivers Association

Emma Leonard MSCSI MRICS

Associate Director | Asset Manager

17 years experience in the commercial property market, focusing on Irish retail assets. Key clients including Oaktree Capital, Bank of Ireland, IPUT, Irish Life Investment Managers, Ulster Bank, NAMA, Eircom Superannuation Fund, Dublin Airport Authority and Capita Asset Services along with various international and domestic investors.

Key Responsibilities

  • Acquisition due diligence and asset disposal preparation in line with agreed business plan objectives
  • Establishing, through strategic research, short and long term asset goals and overseeing the implementation and realisation of same
  • Collaboration and negotiation with a wide range of asset owners, service providers and retailers in respect of all aspects of retail asset management including lease restructuring, lettings, planning applications / disposals, acquisitions and refurbishment
  • Monitoring asset performance and implementing enhancement strategies through various initiatives including scheme positioning and marketing
  • Regular reporting to our capital and funding partners at board level

Previously worked on development projects and within the development land department in Jones Lang la Salle.

Qualifications and Memberships

  • Member of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors
  • Member of the Society of Chartered Surveyors of Ireland

Paddy O’Connor MSCS MRICS

Associate Director | Asset Manager

Over 13 years experience in the commercial property market, primarily focusing on Irish retail assets. Key capital partners and clients including Oaktree Capital, Avenue Capital Group, NAMA, Deloitte, Davy, Bank of Ireland along with various international and domestic investors.

Key Responsibilities

  • Collaboration and negotiation with a wide range of asset owners, service providers and retailers in respect of all aspects of retail asset management and transaction advice including lease restructuring, lettings, disposals, acquisitions due diligence and refurbishment
  • Formulation of asset business plans, cash flows and IRR models having regard to specific client requirements and asset dynamics.
  • Manage the regulation of title, planning and compliance matters together with Identification and resolution of barriers to sale
  • Monitoring asset performance through analysis of turnover, retailer and customer data
  • Implementing enhancement strategies through various initiatives including scheme positioning and marketing.
  • Regular reporting to board members and our funding partners
  • Management of professional teams to ensure implementation of asset strategies

Previously worked within Bannon Property Consultants within the asset management and corporate recovery team. Paddy’s role included establishing and implanting strategies in respect of enhancing / protecting value for a diverse range of asset types and portfolios.

Qualifications and Memberships

  • Member of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors
  • Member of the Society of Chartered Surveyors of Ireland

Freda O'Donnell MSCSI MRICS

Associate Director | Asset Manager

9 years experience in the commercial property market, primarily focusing on Irish retail assets. Key capital partners and clients including Oaktree Capital, Avenue Capital Group, NAMA, Irish Life Investment Managers, Davy, Dublin Airport Authority and Limerick City Council along with various international and domestic investors.

Key Responsibilities

  • Formulation of asset business plans having regard to specific client requirements and asset dynamics.
  • Acquisition due diligence and disposal of assets in line with agreed business plan objectives.
  • Ongoing asset management in line with agreed asset business plan including appointment and management of professional team, lease restructuring, lettings, planning applications/master planning, asset refurbishment, development oversight.
  • Monitoring asset performance and implementing enhancement strategies through various initiatives including scheme positioning and marketing
  • Regular reporting to our capital and funding partners at board level

Previously worked within HWBC Allsop manager within the corporate recovery and restructuring team

Qualifications and Memberships

  • Member of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors
  • Member of the Society of Chartered Surveyors of Ireland

Jenna Culligan MSCSI MRICS

Associate Director | Asset Manager

Over 9 years experience in the commercial property market, with a primary focus on retail assets within the Irish Market. Key clients including Avenue Capital Group, Irish Life Investment Managers, Oaktree Capital, Davy, along with various private investors.

Key Responsibilities

  • Development of business plan specific for an asset having regard to client requirements and hold periods.
  • Acquiring assets, to include Due Diligence process and preparing an asset for disposal
  • Ongoing asset management in line with asset business plan including lease negotiations, new lettings, asset improvements and asset development
  • Ongoing monitoring of asset performance to establish where various strategies are required to improve the asset including marketing and branding
  • Regular reporting to our capital and funding partners at board level

Qualifications and Memberships

  • Member of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors
  • Member of the Society of Chartered Surveyors of Ireland