ave you ever wondered who comes up with the concepts behind the design of new and revamped shopping centres? Well Xin Rui, Senior Executive in the Investment and Asset Management department for CapitaLand Retail Limited is guilty as charged.

“I get to do, as part of my job, what most women love to do as a hobby – browse the malls!” she laughs. “You must love new things and have a sense of curiosity. As you are shopping, you should always be looking for ideas for new concepts and have an open mind to let creativity flow.”

Of course, while browsing, there is a serious objective to her mall visits. Xin Rui is tasked to evaluate and conduct feasibility studies for potential retail real estate opportunities. This involves financial analysis, market research, and report preparation for proposals that suggest new concepts for new shopping centres. Also, for existing shopping centres in the portfolio, Xin Rui looks into the endless possibilities to enhance these malls so as to drive in increased volumes of consumer traffic and optimise returns for the property owner.

“It can be challenging,” Xin Rui explains. “Consumer tastes always change, particularly in retail concepts. People are looking for new experiences all the time, so we have to keep shopping centres updated. Staying on top of market competition and setting new industry benchmarks is essential to the business.”  

A prime example of Xin Rui’s work is the recently enhanced Raffles City Shopping Centre, where better use of space was created for new and signature tenants, increasing revenue potential for the property owner and creating an exciting new retail experience for shoppers.

Xin Rui loves to try out new activities outside her work. This has included climbing Mount Kinabalu in Eastern Malaysia of all things! She saw it as a challenge she couldn’t resist, training for three months before the climb. This ambitious lady applies the same determination and dedication to her work. “I handle challenges by taking one step at a time until I reach my goal.” A high climber indeed.