Nicolas Beaussillon takes helm at Retail Estates

As of 1 January 2026, Nicolas Beaussillon has assumed the role of managing director at Retail Estates, a Belgian REIT specialising in out-of-town retail properties. 

Nicolas Beaussillon

 He succeeds Jan De Nys, who stepped down on 31 December 2025, upon reaching the age limit stipulated in the company's charter. Beaussillon was appointed managing director and co-opted as a director by the Board on 13 November 2025.
Beaussillon has extensive experience in the retail property sector, including as CEO of the Belgian-listed REIT Wereldhave Belgium. He began his career in the retail sector in 2005 at Cushman & Wakefield Belux, where he rose from account manager to co-head of Retail Letting. He was also the CEO of Tans Urban Landmarks, a Belgian family-owned retail property investor.
Jan De Nys founded Retail Estates in 1998 and took the company public the same year to secure capital for acquisitions. Under his 28-year leadership, Retail Estates grew into a company with over €2 bn in out-of-town retail properties across Belgium and the Netherlands. 
De Nys will continue to support Beaussillon and the management team part-time until 31 March 2026, after which he will focus on his other board commitments.
Nicolas Beaussillon said: "After an intensive but very instructive introductory phase, I am ready to take on the role of CEO and further develop Retail Estates. I would like to express my sincere thanks to Jan De Nys: together with his team, he guided me through the handover in the best possible circumstances. It was a privilege to be able to work so closely with the founder of this exceptional company."
Jan De Nys added: “For 28 years, I have worked with dedication and conviction to build Retail Estates into what it is today, together with the management team. We have created strong teams of which I am particularly proud. I am therefore confidently handing over the day-to-day management to Nicolas, in the belief that this will be the start of a new chapter in the growth of the company.’
Retail Estates targets retail properties on the periphery of residential areas or along main access roads to urban centres. It acquires them from third parties or builds and commercialises retail buildings for its own account. 
As of 30 September 2025, Retail Estates has 1,020 rental units in its portfolio with a total retail area of 1.2 million m².