JLL Tabs Leasing Pro Ellen Wei To Lead Retail In Shanghai

While China’s retail real estate sector has been much maligned, there are positive signs in Shanghai that will make Ellen Wei confident she is the right person to spearhead JLL’s plans to expand its presence in the country’s mall market. The firm last week announced Wei’s appointment as Head of Retail, Shanghai and China Landlord Representation Lead.

The Shanghai retail market has been active this month with Lotte Department Store revealing it entered a joint venture with Citic Group to operate a shopping mall in Shanghai and to build three more in the region earlier this week. At the start of the month, Keppel Land China purchased a newly completed mall in suburban Shanghai for RMB 500 million ($74.9 million).

The experienced Wei is no stranger to China’s retail scene having previously served as the China Head of Retail Leasing for DTZ/Cushman & Wakefield. She also worked at China Xintiandi Management Limited as assistant general manager earlier in her career. The 14-year retail veteran has experience in shopping center retail leasing, in addition to ten years as a leasing team leader for many of China’s most famous malls and developers.

“I am confident that Ellen Wei will continue to build upon our unrivalled track record in Retail Markets,” Eddie Ng, Managing Director, East China said, “At JLL, we understand that a critical component to success hinges on our ability to attract talented individuals, and I am happy to have Ellen and the team’s support as our China business grows and develops.”

Ng, who was formerly Managing Director of Chengdu and West China at JLL, took over as Managing Director of Shanghai and East China in March. He stepped in for Anthony Couse who was appointed as JLL’s CEO for Asia Pacific earlier in the year.