Marius Barbu appointed COO of NEPI Rockcastle

European retail real estate company NEPI Rockcastle has appointed Marius Barbu as COO, effective 1 April 2026.

Marius Barbu

He will succeed Marek Noetzel, the current COO and CEO-designate. 
Barbu has also been nominated to the Board of Directors and will be up for election at the next Annual General Meeting in May 2026. 
He currently holds the position of Group Asset Management Director at NEPI Rockcastle and brings over 25 years of experience in asset management, real estate, and retail to the role.
Barbu joined NEPI Rockcastle in 2012 and became the Group Asset Management Director in June 2022. In this role, he has been responsible for leading strategic operational priorities, business transformation, marketing, and property management. Over his 13 years with the company, Barbu has progressively expanded his responsibilities from managing portfolios at the country level in Romania to overseeing operations in eight countries across Central and Eastern Europe.
Before joining NEPI, Barbu gained experience in real estate asset management, leasing, retail marketing, and branding through positions at international companies like Argo Capital Management, Mivan Development, and Unilever South Central Europe.
George Aase, chairman, NEPI Rockcastle, said: “Marius Barbu has an unrivalled understanding of, and sound experience in, the operational dynamics of the NEPI Rockcastle portfolio. His deep knowledge of the Group, coupled with a proven track record of strong performance and a significant contribution to the executive management team, has made him the Board’s clear and natural choice to ensure continuity in the role of COO. The Board trusts that Mr Barbu will continue to play a key role in shaping NEPI Rockcastle’s market-leading operations.” 
NEPI Rockcastle’s over €8bn portfolio is located across eight CEE countries and includes 60 shopping centres in Central and Eastern Europe. The current pipeline amounts to €870 mln in total investments.