Brent Cross owner Hammerson appoints new Chief Executive
Hammerson, the owner of Brent Cross and Birmingham Bullring shopping centres, has appointed Rob Wilkinson as its new Chief Executive Officer, effective 1 January 2026.
Hammerson owns and manages a portfolio of retail and leisure destinations in the UK, Ireland and France, including Brent Cross in London, Bullring in Birmingham, Cabot Circus in Bristol and Westquay in Southampton.
Wilkinson, currently CEO of AEW Europe, will join the board as CEO-designate on 15 December 2025 before succeeding Rita-Rose Gagné, who in June informed the board of her intention to retire in 2026 after five years at the helm.
"Through a rigorous recruitment process, Rob stood out from a strong field of candidates as someone who was able to translate strategic insight into shareholder value creation through exceptional leadership," said Chair Robert Noel.
The company said Gagné "will continue to lead the business during 2025 and ensure an orderly transfer of her responsibilities, before stepping down as CEO and from the board on 31 December 2025."
Gagné took on the Hammerson CEO role in November 2020, joining from Ivanhoe Cambridge, and has been credited with driving a substantial turnaround at the Brent Cross and Bullring shopping centre owner. She oversaw the offloading of non-core assets, including Hammerson’s stake in Bicester Village owner Value Retail to private equity firm L Catterton, in a deal that brought in £595 million in cash and allowed the group to reduce debts.
Shares in Hammerson were up 0.7% at 283.08 pence in London on Tuesday morning, though down 3.1% year-on-year.
