Launch of SIGNA Sports Group...made the leap into the digital era. Target revenues for the Sports...

Shut

ters

tock

Issue No. 6 / June 2017

Page 01

In 2016, SIGNA Retail acquired the majority stake in the online sports retailer OUTFITTER, in Europe‘s leading bike and outdoor e-com-merce company, internetstores, and in Europe‘s most successful mul-ti-channel retailer in the tennis sec-tor, Tennis-Point. At the beginning of 2017, SIGNA Retail, through its subsidiary internetstores, acquired Probikeshop, the leading online bike retailer in Southern Europe and France. Together with Karstadt Sports, the number 2 sporting goods retailer in Germany, these compa-nies form the newly established SIGNA Sports Group.

With target revenues of about EUR 650 million in 2017, 45 brick-and-mortar locations in the DACH region (Germany, Austria, Switzer-land), and 58 web shops in 17 dif-ferent countries, SIGNA Sports Group is clearly number 1 in Ger-many and ranks among the top five in the multi-channel sports sector in Europe. All the com-panies are operating profitably. SIGNA Sports Group has become one of the largest and most dyna-

have built up their companies from scratch and managed them successfully, shall continue to be actively involved in each of the individual companies and in the SIGNA Sports Group. SIGNA Sports Group is proud to have one of the largest, best and most entre-preneurially experienced teams of online business experts in the Eu-ropean sports market.

The SIGNA Sports Group is strate-gically coordinated by a Steering Committee, which also includes the founders and CEOs of each of the companies. Synergies are analysed, best-in-class standards are defined, and growth opportunities are dis-cussed. In spring 2017, René Köhler, founder and Chairman of inter-netstores, took over the function of Chairman of the SIGNA Sports Group. The medium-term quantita-tive aim of the SIGNA Sports Group is the first billion in revenues. Qua-litatively, the approach is still focu-sed on remaining the top expertise and innovation leaders in the omni- channel sporting goods business in Europe.

mic omni-channel players in Eu-rope, especially in the team sports, running, football, biking, outdoor and tennis segments.

Every month, more than two milli-on customers visit the SIGNA Sports Group‘s brick-and-mortar shops, and more than eight million online visitors surf the web shops every month, which results in more than 2.2 million online orders or packa-ges leaving the state-of-the-art logi-stics centres and warehouses of the SIGNA Sports Group every year.

The key strategic factor in the success of the newly established SIGNA Sports Group is its con-sistent focus on digital business. The acquisitions it has made over the past as well as the current year, which were exclusively in the online segment, will lead to an increase to over two thirds of the online market share of the group‘s revenues in 2017. The “di-gital heads” of the online compa-nies were also enthusiastic about SIGNA Sports Group‘s vision. The entire team of founders, who

Launch of SIGNA Sports Group

SIGNA Sports Group is number 1 in Germany and ranks among the top 5 in Europe

You can find a detailed explanation and more information on page 3.

In the current issue of SIGNA Times, we invite you to immerse yourself in the digital world of SIGNA with our specially program-med app. The SIGNA Times team wishes you a lot of fun reading and experiencing exciting virtual realities.

SIGNA TIMESGOES DIGITAL!

SIGNA Times

1 2 3 4 5 6

DOWNLOAD STARTSCAN

GROUP EXECUTIVE BOARD: Dieter Berninghaus (Chairman), Christoph Stadlhuber, Frank Tölle, Wolfram Keil

PREMIUM GROUP SPORTS GROUP FOOD & RESTAURANTS GROUP

DEPARTMENT STORE GROUP


Page 02 Page 03

SIGNA Group

SIGNA PRIME SELECTION SIGNA Prime Selection owns a portfolio

of selected assets in inner-city locations in Austria, Germany and Italy. The ma-jority of these exceptional properties will remain in the hands of SIGNA Prime and are not for sale.

SIGNA Prime continually complements its stock by acquiring and developing additional projects in outstanding locations with a potential for significant increases in value.

SIGNA DEVELOPMENT SELECTION SIGNA Development Selection invests

and acquires stakes in typical real estate developments in major urban centres, pri-marily in the German-speaking countries. These projects include office blocks and towers, large residential developments, shopping centres and hotels. The compa-ny pursues a buy-develop-sell strategy.

In spring 2017, the company acquired the property developer BAI Bauträger Austria Immobilien GmbH.

SIGNA PREMIUM GROUP The KaDeWe Group is part of the SIGNA

Premium Group, and is the leading premi-um and luxury department store group in the brick-and-mortar sector in Germany and Europe. It operates three luxury department stores: KaDeWe in Berlin, Oberpollinger in Munich and Alsterhaus in Hamburg. With the acquisition of Ger- many‘s largest fashion mall for premi-um and luxury fashion on the Internet, MYBESTBRANDS, in mid-2017, the com-pany has also strengthened its position in the digital sector. Together with its Italian partner, LaRinascente, the KaDeWe Group will further expand its portfolio.

SIGNA SPORTS GROUP SIGNA Sports Group is clearly number 1

in Germany and ranks among the top 5 in the multi-channel sports sector in Europe. The group owns Karstadt Sports and holds majority interests in internetstores (No. 1 in bike and outdoor), Tennis-Point (No. 1 in tennis), and OUTFITTER (No. 2 in foot-ball, running and team sports) and in Pro- bikeshop, the leading online bike retailer in Southern Europe and France.

SIGNA FUNDS SIGNA Funds manages several closed-end

real estate funds that promise stable re-turns and a long-term increase in value for private investors. In addition, it pursues opportunistic real estate investments, such as managing private equity invest-ments on behalf of institutional investors and high-net-worth family offices.

New projects such as daycare facilities for children & student residences and city apartments extend the company’s portfolio.

SIGNA Luxury Hotels SIGNA Luxury Hotels sets highest stan-

dards in the conception, the development and the marketing of unique destinations in the most beautiful Central European places and owns and operates impres-sive luxury hotels and resorts, such as Chalet N in Lech am Arlberg, the luxury hotel Park Hyatt Vienna, as well as the luxury resort Villa Eden Gardone at Lake Garda which was designed by internati-onal star architects and includes a 5-star Boutique Hotel.

SIGNA DEPARTMENT STORE GROUP With over 135 years of tradition in the Ger-

man retail market, the successful restruc-tured Karstadt Warenhaus is one of the leading department stores in the country. The group operates 79 stores in triple-A locations, sells more than 1,200 brands and generates over EUR 2 billion in an-nual revenues. Together with karstadt.de, dress-for-less, hood.de and further add-on acquisitions and partnerships, the group aims to become a modern “Marketplace of Tomorrow”, combining best-in-class off-line and online shopping experiences.

SIGNA FOOD & RESTAURANTS GROUP SIGNA Food & Restaurants Group is one of

the largest quick-service platforms in the German market, with Le Buffet and Karstadt Lebensmittel as central core and the JV with EATALY as one of the most exciting food re-tail concepts worldwide in its portfolio. The group positions itself as an innovative ser-vice platform for future growth in the Euro-pean food service market. Based on excellent operations know-how, the group will grow through acquisitions and master franchises/JVs with innovative quick-service concepts.

SIGNA Real Estate SIGNA Retail

SIGNA Real Estate employs approximately 200 people in seven offices in Austria, Germany, Italy and Switzerland. The property portfolio is valued at about EUR 7.5 billion, and the development volume amounts to EUR 5 billion. SIGNA Real Estate is organised

in four independent divisions:

Established under the overall corporate umbrella of SIGNA Retail are a number of commercial concerns, operating next to one another but independently.

About 20,000 people working in over 125 locations generate annual revenues of about EUR 3.8 billion.

SIGNA Holding – Company structure ENTREPRENEURIAL PARTNERS WITH A LONG-TERM PERSPECTIVE

SIGNA is a completely privately managed and entrepreneurially active industrial group in the areas of retail and real estate. In the 17 years since its founding, the com-pany has managed to become a leader in Europe with its two busi-ness areas of real estate and retail,

which operate completely indepen-dently of each other.

SIGNA Real Estate owns and manages a comprehensive property portfolio of extraordinary real estate properties and is perceived to be one of the lea-ding real estate developers. Under the

SIGNA Retail umbrella, there are se-veral investments in various German retail companies, which are divided into four divisions and are successful in both online and offline commerce.

The company‘s entrepreneurial ac-tivities are managed at a holding

company level through the Group‘s Executive Board. For 17 years, SIGNA has been majority-owned by the Benko Family Private Foundation.

From the outset, only entrepreneu-rial partners with a long-term per-spective have invested in SIGNA.

The Benko Family Private Foun-dation is the main shareholder at holding company level, with 90% of company shares. The Swiss top entrepreneur and Lindt & Sprüng-li‘s Chairman of the Board of Di-rectors, Ernst Tanner, owns the other 10%.

SIGNA goes digitalPOSITIONING ITSELF AS THE INDUSTRY PIONEER IN ITS CORE MARKETS

In the midst of the Third Industri-al Revolution, in the changeover from the industrial age to the di-gital era, our lives are being pro-foundly and globally changed in many ways by this process. Digital change is all-encompassing and ubiquitous, and is changing peop-le, markets, the society and the en-vironment. In the business world, new technologies, such as social media and virtual or augmented reality companies are compelling other companies to reconsider their business models in a funda-mental way in order to recognise their customers‘ needs and fulfil them. At the same time, new me-dia are the “golden connection” to the customer and create almost unimaginable new opportunities, in particular for the real estate sec-tor – from planning all the way to marketing of projects.

SIGNA is positioning itself in the real estate sector as one of the in-dustry pioneers in the digital re-alm, and has been using virtual reality tours for office property sales since 2015. Digital and virtual realities make the property more

tangible and concrete. They allow dimensions to be seen, thus crea-ting clarity for the customer. This facilitates and accelerates the deci-sion-making process. In residential sales, SIGNA relies on HTC VIVE and Gamepad technologies, which make it possible to move around freely and independently in the room. The customer gets a very re-alistic representation of his or her new apartment. On top of this, peo-ple who are interested in the apart-ment can soon choose possibilities for furnishings, such as flooring, bathroom fixtures or lamps, using a configurator.

Using a mix of various networks, SIGNA has been active on social media at corporate level since the EXPO REAL 2016. SIGNA CEO Christoph Stadlhuber is also posi-tioned as Digital CEO on LinkedIn. The aim is to contact various custo-mers via various channels, to iden-tify topics, point out trends, and speak about current developments in the real estate and retail sector. In addition, SIGNA uses selected social media channels to present individual projects.

SIGNA has been digital in the retail sector for quite a while now. With 58 online shops in 17 different coun-tries, SIGNA Sports Group is among the top 5 companies in the sports sector across Europe and has already made the leap into the digital era. Target revenues for the Sports Group in the online segment in 2017 already account for more than two thirds of the entire revenues of about EUR 650 million. In the department

store segment, we have experienced great success with the online outlet for designer fashion, dress-for-less, and with Karstadt.de, and we are on a path towards increased growth.

SIGNA Times is also going digital. With our specially programmed SIGNA Times app for iOS and Android, you can already see – in 3D – how our land-mark project THE ICON VIENNA at the Vienna Central Railway Stati-

on will look once it‘s completed in 2018. Furthemore, you can experien-ce the opening of the new KaDeWe in Berlin. By viewing a time-lapse film, you can also see the progress being made on the PARKAPART-MENTS AM BELVEDERE residen-tial project, or see how the luxury hotel Park Hyatt Vienna was created from what was once the head office of a bank. And much more... Just follow the step-by-step instructions.

How your SIGNA Times becomes digitalSTEP-BY-STEP INSTRUCTIONS:

Download the SIGNA Times app in the iOS app

store or in the Google Play Store and install it.

Start the SIGNA Times app.

Scan the images marked with the icons and enter the virtual world

of SIGNA.

Note: Always hold your mobile device in landscape

format when using the SIGNA Times app.

FILM - VILLA EDEN

GALLERY - VILLA EDEN

TIMESTIMES1 2 3 4 5 6


Page 04 Page 05

KaDeWe, BerlinAlte Akademie, Munich

AUSTRIA CAMPUS, Vienna

WaltherPark, Bolzano-Bozen

Tuchlauben, Vienna

Park Hyatt Vienna

Ku‘damm 231, Berlin Munich Karstadt Station Karstadt Hermannplatz, Berlin

Österreichische Postsparkasse, Vienna

Kärntner Straße 11, Vienna Graben 19, Vienna

Further Prime Portfolio

BEFORE/AFTER SLIDER

SIGNA Prime Selection AG

Park Hyatt Vienna

Privately owned Austrian real estate company SIGNA Prime Selection AG has a portfolio of tro-phy properties valued at around EUR 5.5 billion. The company owns and develops retail and office properties in central locations in major towns and cities in the Ger-man-speaking countries. Thanks to their prime locations, these high-profile properties are gene-rally fully let, and have a strong appeal that reflects positively on the surrounding areas.

SIGNA Prime Selection AG has implemented a two-stage business model, which will see the company retain the majority of the portfolio in the long term. Its exclusive pro-perties includes luxury Berlin de-partment store KaDeWe, the Golde-nes Quartier in Vienna – which also comprises the Park Hyatt Vienna – and Innsbruck’s Kaufhaus Tyrol. SIGNA Prime benefits from the in-dexed rental income generated at these properties – in combination with a conservative financing struc-ture based on fixed interest rates, this results in steadily rising profits. The current impact of low interest rates is offset by the weighted resi-

dual rental period of around 20 ye-ars. Professionally managed, city- centre properties in high-footfall locations continue to attract tenants with strong credit ratings, whose products and services are increa-singly aimed at creating experien-ces as opposed to addressing needs. As a result, they are not subject to such strong competition from on-

line retailers. Tenants include lu-xury brands such as Louis Vuitton, Prada and Armani, retail giants like Apple, the KaDeWe Group, H&M, Saturn, Peek & Cloppenburg and Primark, as well as large instituti-onal tenants including UniCredit Bank Austria, Generali Versiche-rung, the Republic of Austria and many more.

The company expands its long-term portfolio by means of own development projects, such as the conversion of Karstadt Herrmann-platz in the Kreuzberg/Neukölln area of Berlin into a large down-town shopping centre. The project also includes the addition of mo-dern residential and office space. SIGNA is a partner in the Mün-

chen Karstadt Bahnhof project in central Munich, between the city’s Hauptbahnhof station and Sta-chus square. Among the ongoing development projects, the Alte Akademie in Munich will be re-tained in the long term following its completion and rental. In or-der to secure attractive returns for shareholders and investors, SIGNA Prime also develops properties in its core markets before disposing of them to third parties at the end of the development phase, as part of its new investments strategy. Ca-pital allocated to new investments amounts to a maximum of 25% of the market value of the long-term portfolio. Low-value or inefficient-ly used properties are targeted for repositioning and modernisation. The redevelopment is carried out by SIGNA Real Estate Manage-ment, a subsidiary with more than a decade of strong performance in this segment to its credit.

The combination of these two strategic segments forms the ba-sis for above-average increases in value for our group, as well as lay-ing the foundations for continued growth.

Alsterhaus, Hamburg

Kunstforum, Vienna Kaufhaus Tyrol, Innsbruck

Portfolio stability and long-term financing

LOANS CONCLUDED FOR ALMOST 20 YEARS

In line with long-term lea-ses (weighted average lease term > 20 years), SIGNA Prime Selection is actively financing its individual portfolio properties with long-term loans.

The term of the weighted average interest rate on the loans in SIGNA Prime‘s high-quality portfolio is al-most 20 years. These terms, com-bined with the low fixed interest

rates of about 2.5 % on average, are unique in Europe and provide a high level of portfolio stability, as well as a comfortable surplus that can be used for development acti-vities in the best conditions.

The well-known quality of SIGNA properties in city centres, com-bined with long-term financing, creates “value for generations”.

Oberpollinger, Munich

PANORAMATOUR


Café Am HofAm Hof 2, 1010 Vienna

[email protected]

Bitter Sweet Symphony

Finish your dayCOSMOPOLITAN

THE BANK – B R A S S E R I E & B A R

Bognergasse 4, 1010 WienTel. +43 1 227 40 [email protected]

R E STAU R A N T – T HE BANK . AT

© S

chre

iner

Kas

tler

© M

.Nag

l

© W

ED/M

.Nag

l©

M.N

agl

© M

.Nag

l


Page 06 Page 07

With the takeover of BAI, SIGNA is now the most important

real estate developer in Vienna DC TOWERDonau-City-Strasse 7, 1220 Vienna

Since autumn 2013, the DC TOWER in Vien-na‘s Donaucity has been the tallest building in Austria and a modern landmark in Vienna. The multi-use property with a lease area of around 66,000 m² for office, hotel and res-taurant spaces, as well as other public areas, was constructed based on the designs by the French star architect, Dominique Perrault.

WIEN MITTELandstrasser Hauptstrasse 1b, 1030 Vienna

The superstructure of the Wien Mitte train station with the Landstrasse subway station, with a multifunctional building complex, consisting of office, shopping, restaurant and leisure areas, with a gross floor area (above ground) of approx. 150,000 m², is one of the largest urban project developments in Vienna.

ÖBB KONZERNZENTRALEAm Hauptbahnhof 2, 1100 Vienna

The new corporate headquarters of the Aust-rian Federal Railway (ÖBB) was constructed directly adjacent to the Central Railway Stati-on in Vienna and has a gross floor area (above ground) of approx. 46,000 m². The building, which is around 88 metres high and which was completed in the summer of 2014, is mostly used as an office building and stands out with its extremely high degree of flexibi-lity for the most diverse office forms.

PARK RESIDENCESKrakauer Strasse 25 & 27, Leystrasse 165, 167 & 169, Schweidlgasse 44 & 46, 1020 Vienna

The high-quality and energy-efficient resi-dential project, with 212 privately financed 2 to 5-room apartments, each with its own garden area, loggias, terraces or balconies, located in the 2nd district of Vienna, con-sists of eight so-called “city buildings”. The Park Residences offer above-average living comfort with their own fitness and spa area and high-quality community areas for the owners. The Donauinsel recreational area is very close by.

BAI was founded and is now one of Austria‘s

largest property developers.

of usable space for offices, retail shops, hotels, retirement homes and kindergartens, as well as for university facilities and educati-onal establishments have been developed by BAI since 1994.

housing units have been completed

by BAI since then.

of usable space are currently managed

by BAI.

projects with an invest-ment volume of approx.

EUR 1.7 billion and a project development volume of more than 440,000 m² are currently

in BAI‘s portfolio.

employees currently work for BAI (including BAReal and the building management company,

Donath).

150~ 1990 18~ EUR 5.3million

m²

Investment pipeline completely full with EUR 2.7 billion

~ 685,000 m² 3,700 >

Trienna, Vienna

SIGNA‘s investment pipeline in the capital city of Austria is com-pletely full for the next few years: With a project development volume of more than EUR 2.7 billion, SIGNA has become the most important private property de-veloper in Vienna. Another large development portfolio from the renowned Viennese property de-veloper, BAI Bauträger Austria Immobilien GmbH, has been ad-ded to the attractive projects that have been initiated so far.

BAI Bauträger Austria Immobili-en GmbH was founded in March 1990. It was incorporated into Im-mobilien Holding GmbH, a fully owned subsidiary of the Real Esta-te Private Foundation, in late 1999. Today, BAI is one of the largest property developers in Austria and has a competence network in all areas of the property business. The group develops, builds, ex-ploits and manages properties in the office and commercial sector and is very involved in subsidised and privately financed residential construction.

In spring 2017, SIGNA took over the developer, as well as its own service companies for project de-velopment and property develop-ment (BAI), real estate interme-diation (BAReal) and building management (Donath).

The companies, with a total of around 150 employees, will conti-nue to be managed independent-

ly. The former owner of BAI was UniCredit Bank Austria, which sold the company in late January 2017 in the course of a bidding process.

BAI‘s portfolio currently compri-ses 18 projects with an investment volume of around EUR 1.7 billion and a project development volume of more than 440,000 m². Experience in the construction of more than 460,000 m² so far of office space and more than 3,700 housing units means that BAI is a strong player in the Aust-rian real estate market.

With a total development volume of EUR 2.7 billion, SIGNA is the

most important real estate inves-tor in Vienna after the takeover of BAI. In the next three years, SIGNA will thus be responsible for the development of over 50% on average of all office space in the country‘s capital.

BAI‘s residential development pro-jects include, among others, the projects “Parkside” at Vorgarten- strasse 120, “Trienna”, “Eurogate”, “Wohnen am Schweizergarten” at the Main train station (Haupt-bahnhof) and the “Donaumarina – Apartments” at the Handelskai. In the office and commercial sec-tor, BAI has projects such as “Bio-tech-Cluster” and “white space” in Muthgasse and Nordwestbahn-

straße 2-6 and the urban develop-ment area Donaufeld.

The “Wohnen am Schweizergarten” project, which previously belon-ged to UniCredit Bank Austria as well, was purchased directly by SIGNA. In addition to the at-tractive architecture by Delugan Meissl and Coop Himmelb(l)au, the project stands out due to the the striking, well-connected locati-on within the important urban de-velopment project “Central Rail-way Station”, just a few minutes away from Vienna‘s first district. Several renowned architectural firms contributed to the design of this new area. Directly to the north is the Erste Bank Campus

designed by Henke Schreieck and in the south are the PARKAPART-MENTS AM BELVEDERE and the Hotel Andaz Am Belvedere Vien-na, also constructed by SIGNA and planned by the Renzo Piano Building Workshop, which will be completed as of the 4th quarter of 2018.

By mid-2018, another SIGNA property will complete the new emerging district to the west: THE ICON VIENNA, a multi-use property, will be the only local of-fice building that will have direct access to Vienna‘s public trans-portation network, including the subway and suburban trains, the Austrian Federal Railways‘ long distance transport network, and to the new Halle Nord with all of its infrastructure facilities, and the gateway to Vienna‘s Main train station.

Christoph Stadlhuber, CEO of SIGNA, said, “With the acquisition of BAI and its shares, we are setting a strong benchmark once again as a major real estate developer in Austria. I am particularly pleased that further attractive projects will be added to our existing develop-ment portfolio in Vienna through this takeover, and that our de-velopment volume will increase as a result to around EUR 2.7 billion. Our stated goal with this takeover is to consolidate and expand our position as a major provider of high-quality housing in the coun-try‘s capital.”

Reference projects – BAI Prime Assets

FILM - DC TOWER

FILM - WIEN MITTE

FILM - ÖBB HEADQUARTER



Page 08 Page 09

SIGNA: You have been active for 25 years, constructing cultural buildings, museums, housing pro-jects, shopping centres and office buildings worldwide. Quite versa-tile, right?

Delugan-Meissl: From the very be-ginning – since the establishment of the office in 1993 – the goal has not been for us to specialise, but to get involved in the most diverse architectural projects. Furthermore, since the beginning, we have wor-ked with the phenomenon of the physiological experience of space

– the interaction between space and its user – a central theme that de-termines all of our design processes.

SIGNA: ...that sounds incredibly exciting...

Delugan-Meissl: Yes, this is ex-citing, as well as being able to create in different dimensions – large urban projects, such as the new Centre in Kagran – FORUM DONAUSTADT – are just as much a part of this as residential buil-dings, family homes, museums, all the way to interior and product design.

SIGNA: With this approach, and with an annual influx of around 40,000 people who move to Vienna, is the physiological experience of the space really something feasib-

le or is it more a matter of practical and quick construction?

Delugan-Meissl: I don‘t think it is possible to categorise architecture in terms of quality and quantity. I see residential construction as one of the core disciplines of architec-ture. Influx and affordable living spaces are requirements. It is man-datory that we tackle these aspects in way that provides high quality.

We have been dealing with the to-pic of residential construction since the very beginning. We have won some competitions, then went on to implement those projects.

SIGNA: So, affordable living also means quality architecture?

Delugan-Meissl: Yes, I see it that way. The exciting thing about it is that the parameters, related to fle-xibility, feasibility, or in regards to life circumstances, are constantly changing.

I think many of my colleagues already have viable, innovative concepts in their archives. Now courage is also required at the po-litical level to allow for necessary diversity.

SIGNA: I read in a German news-paper that politics and business are once again choosing prefabri-

INTERVIEW WITH ELKE DELUGAN-MEISSL

cated buildings. That is the anti-thesis of what you just said.

Delugan-Meissl: This development must be looked into because we should pursue achievements. Peo-ple always have different needs – an apartment does not always have to function based on well-known schemes.

The constantly changing ways of living, as well as the needs that result from this, require various concepts, which must be further developed based on requirements. Urban development and residen-tial construction are never vie-wed separately in our concepts. It is essential, in addition to actual housing, to deal with the environ-ment, the context, the space and social integration.

SIGNA: That actually leads to my next question: You have many renowned projects abroad, but also in Vienna. It is as if you have a base here that you don‘t want to leave.

Delugan-Meissl: This is also a spe-cial office philosophy that I live by – to me, it is most efficient, whenever possible, to concentrate activities in one place, to put to-gether a compact, powerful team in the shortest time possible. Sup-port of the process is one of my premises.

SIGNA: You are very “political-ly” active, and what I mean by that is that you are deeply in-volved in advisory boards and committees.

Delugan-Meissl: Yes, if that is how you define “political”. For me, it has always been a cons-tructive approach – to bring in my experience and to initiate and control processes.

SIGNA: What is very impressi-ve is that you actively participa-te in architectural competitions.

Delugan-Meissl: Since we ope-ned our offices, we have always participated in competitions, and so far with great success. We also won our largest project, Donaucity, through a competi-tion.

It is a fundamental decision made by every office to parti-cipate in competitions or to fol-low a different path, although I do not consider the use of a competition as the best possible solution for every project. But I would not say no if someone came to us with a direct order (...laughs...)...

DELUGAN MEISSL Associated Architects (DMAA)

DMAA is one of the most successful Austrian archi-tecture companies and enjoys a great deal of in-ternational attention. Some of its best-known projects are the Porsche Museum in Stuttgart-Zuffenhausen, the Erl Festival Theatre and the new Campus Tower Hafen-City in Hamburg. DMAA is implementing the “FO-RUM DONAUSTADT” and “Wohnen am Schweizergar-ten” projects for SIGNA. A high sense of reality, a strong vision as well as high passion position DMAA at the front row of global ar-chitectural discourse.

FORUM DONAUSTADT, Vienna

FORUM DONAUSTADT, Vienna

Wohnen am Schweizergarten, ViennaWohnen am Schweizergarten, Vienna

SIGNA Living – current projects

Photo ©Marlene Rahmann VIENNA ART WEEK 2016

In the first 17 years of its exis-tence, SIGNA has succeeded in developing property assets worth about EUR 7.5 billion in the real estate sector, focusing primarily on the development and acqui-sition of office, commercial and hotel real estate. With the takeo-ver of BAI Bauträger Austria Im-mobilien GmbH in addition to its existing projects, PARKAPART- MENTS AM BELVEDERE and FORUM DONAUSTADT, SIGNA now also concentrates even more on the important sector of residen-tial construction in Vienna.

BAI‘s portfolio currently comprises 18 projects with an investment vo-lume of around EUR 1.7 billion and a project development volume of more than 440,000 m². The develop-ment projects in the residential sector include: “Trienna”, “5 im 22”,

“Parkside” at Vorgartenstrasse 120, “Eurogate” and “Donaumarina – Apartments” at Handelskai. In ad-dition, SIGNA will also develop the project “Wohnen am Schwei-

zergarten” at the Vienna Central Railway Station, which was purcha-sed directly from SIGNA as part of the transaction. Right next to this, SIGNA is already implementing the project PARKAPARTMENTS AM BELVEDERE, designed by the Renzo Piano Building Workshop. The FORUM DONAUSTADT, a new city district with around 300 apart-ments, offices and its own infra-structure in the 22nd district of Vi-enna, is being developed by SIGNA together with ARE Development. In total, within these three projects, about 1,050 apartments are either in project planning or are already un-der construction by SIGNA.

TWO LARGE PROJECTS IN THE NEW CITY DISTRICT

“QUARTIER BELVEDERE”The projects “Wohnen am Schwei-zergarten” and PARKAPARTMENTS AM BELVEDERE stand out due to their striking, well-connected loca-tion within the “Vienna Central Railway Station” project, which is an important urban development pro-

ject in the middle of the up-and-co-ming district “Quartier Belvedere”. The new emerging city district

“Quartier Belvedere” is directly adja-cent to the large recreation areas of the Swiss Garden, Botanical Garden and Belvedere Garden and to the 3rd and 4th districts of Vienna.

“Wohnen am Schweizergarten” is the result of a competition that was held in mid-2015 and whose winner was the entry of the renowned ar-chitectural firm Delugan Meissl Associated Architects. On the basis of this urban concept, one of the residential towers included in Coop Himmelb(l)au‘s competition entry was subsequently integrated into the project, to create a coherent complex, taking into account the jury‘s recommendations.

On a construction site of approx. 12,000 m² directly adjacent to the Erste Bank Campus, a mixed-use building complex will be construc-ted, with at least 400 apartments, as well as retail areas and a kindergar-

ten. Construction is scheduled to start in spring 2018 and should be completed by mid-2020.

The design for the PARKAPART-MENTS AM BELVEDERE flowed out of the pens of the Renzo Piano Building Workshop and are the first project by the star architect to be built in Austria. Piano is known for the landmark building “The Shard” /London Bridge Tower and was also responsible for the design of the Potsdamer Platz in Berlin, as well as the Centre Pompidou in Paris.

The unique pillar design of the three residential buildings allows the PARKAPARTMENTS AM BEL-VEDERE to peek over the treetops of the neighbouring part. A beauti-ful view over the rooftops of Vienna opens itself up to the residents. In total, more than 340 apartments will be built starting at a surface area of 46 m². 23 of them will be set up as special selection apartments. All apartments will be equipped with a terrace, balcony or loggia,

modern features and smart partiti-oning.

LIVING IN THE NEW LANDMARK OF THE DONAUSTADT DISTRICTIn the immediate vicinity of the Do-naustadt district, SIGNA is building a new district in a joint venture with ARE Development, with a bro-ad mix of facilities and a first-class infrastructure. At the heart of the project FORUM DONAUSTADT, which consists of six buildings, are the Forum Tower, which is 145 me-tres high and the Forum Home, a residential tower, which is 100 met-res high and has around 300 apart-ments with loggias. The lavishly designed outdoor area, the ground floor area that connects all the buil-dings, the excellent selection of restaurants, the attractive transpor-tation and shopping infrastructure right next door, and the proximity to leisure facilities, such as the Alte Donau and the Donauinsel, help to enhance this new landmark‘s unique character.

SIGNA goes Living

PARKAPARTMENTS AM BELVEDERE, Vienna

Residential building offensive with attractive projects in Vienna

WOHNEN AM SCHWEIZERGARTEN

PLANNED START OF CONSTRUCTION: Spring 2018

PLANNED COMPLETION: Mid-2020

NUMBER OF APART-MENTS (PLANNED): ~ 400

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION: www.signa.at

FORUM DONAUSTADT

CONSTRUCTION PHASE 1Planned start of construction: Late 2017Planned completion: Late 2020

CONSTRUCTION PHASE 2Planned start of construction: 2019Planned completion: 2022

N0. OF APARTMENTS (PLANNED): ~ 300

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION: www.forum-donaustadt.at

PARKAPARTMENTS AM BELVEDERE

START OF CONSTRUCTION: February 2016

PLANNED COMPLETION: as of the 4th quarter of 2018

NUMBER OF APARTMENTS: 346

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION: www.signa.at

FILM PARKAPARTMENTS

AM BELVEDERE

VIEW WEBCAM

FILM - CONSTRUCTION SITE PARKAPARTMENTS

AM BELVEDERE

“It is absolutely a question of quality architecture.”


VERMIETUNG PROVISIONSFREI05 99 98 999, [email protected], www.THE-ICON-VIENNA.com

GEPLANTE FERTIGSTELLUNG 2018

EIN PROJEKT VON

DIREKTZUGANG ZUM ÖFFENTLICHENVERKEHRSNETZ, HAUPTBAHNHOF WIEN

INNERSTÄDTISCHER STANDORT

INDIVIDUELLE NUTZUNG UND BÜROVARIANTEN

UNVERBAUTER WEITBLICK ÜBER DIE STADT

PERFEKTE INFRASTRUKTUR

BÜROFLÄCHEN AB 350 m²

EINE ADRESSE, DIE EIN ZEICHEN SETZT.

BÜROSab 350 m²

DIREKTZUGANG ZUM HAUPTBAHNHOF

HW

B 14

,5 k

Wh/

m².a


Page 10 Page 11

THE ICON VIENNA

THE ICON VIENNA

KEY DATA

TYPE OF USE: office spaces starting at 390 m², retail, restaurants

START OF CONSTRUCTION: November 2015

COMPLETION: mid-2018

LEASING RATE: > 50% by mid-2017

FOR MORE INFORMATION: www.THE-ICON-VIENNA.com

New headquarters of BAWAG P.S.K.

FILM - THE ICON VIENNA

THE ICON VIENNA

Shortly before Christmas 2016, SIGNA celebrated another suc-cessful lease agreement. BAWAG P.S.K., one of the largest banks in Austria, will move its new headquarters to THE ICON VIENNA, a landmark office building at the new Vienna Central Railway Station. The bank has signed a 20-year lease agreement for around 28,000 m², which consists of the entire Tower 66, and will have approx. 1,400 employees loca-ted at the new headquarters, pro-bably by the end of 2018.

LANDMARK BUILDING AT THE NEW VIENNA CENTRAL RAILWAY STATIONTHE ICON VIENNA, at the site of the Central Railway Station, not only enriches the development area “Vienna Central Railway Sta-tion”, but also makes a defining architectural statement in this ur-ban business centre, consisting of three towers of different heights (88.00 m, 66.00m and 38.50 m).

The towers are connected by a common basement level, in which an attractive meeting area with de-

mand-oriented retail shops and res-taurants will be located.

THE ICON VIENNA will be the only local office building that will have direct access to Vienna‘s public transportation network, including the subway and suburban trains, to the Austrian Federal Railways‘ long-distance transport network, and to the new Halle Nord with all of its infrastructure facilities.

Upon completion of THE ICON VIENNA, there will be a direct train connection between the Cen-tral Railway Station and the Vien-na International Airport twice per

hour. Using the South-eastern ex-pressway A23 and the Eastern mo-torway A4, the Vienna Airport can be reached within 15 minutes by car. Connections to the rest of the individual traffic network are just as good. This will be supplemen-ted with well-maintained bicycle paths.

FUTURE-FOCUSED PROPERTY ATTRACTS RENOWNED TENANTSThe unique qualities of the multi- use property developed by SIGNA are further emphasised by its pro-minent position within this new district: Located directly on the

main transport artery, Wiedner Gürtel, the building complex is adjacent to the new Central Rail-way Station.

“We are pleased to have won over BAWAG P.S.K., one of Austria‘s largest banks as a tenant for THE ICON VIENNA. The fact that BAWAG P.S.K. will become the first major tenant by the end of 2018 de-monstrates the high desirability of our new, future-focused property”, stated SIGNA CEO Christoph Stadl-huber. “Our sustainable leasing suc-cess is a confirmation of our strate-gic orientation, which is to develop prestigious office properties in a

prime location with good public ac-cess, exclusive facilities, and equip-ped with environmentally-friendly and cost-effective structures”, said Christoph Stadlhuber.

SIGNA will continue on this suc-cessful path in the spring of 2017. Another renowned tenant will move its Austrian headquarters into THE ICON VIENNA. The long-term lease agreement for the entire Tower 38, with a leased space of around 12,500 m² should be si-gned by mid-2017 at the latest. This will result in a pre-leasing rate of more than 50%, a year and a half before the project is completed.

AUGMENTED REALITY

FILM - THE ICON VIENNA


So fein. So intensiv.

Lindt Excellence 70% Cacao

Entdecken Sie den intensiven Genuss der Excellence 70% Cacao mit einem extra hohen Kakao-Anteil und einem Hauch feiner Vanille. Entfachen Sie Ihre Sinne mit der dunklen Schokolade-Kreation des LINDT Maître Chocolatiers.

Anzahl Farben

Drucktechnik

Material

Druckerei

Raster

Kunde

Produkt

Motiv

Auftrags-Nr.

Status

Ausdruck

Software

Dateiname

Ansprechpartner

E-Mail

Datum

RZ

100%

InDesign CS6

Inserat_SIGMA_Excellence_267x360_3

Andreas Brunner

[email protected]

08.02.2017

4

Offset

-

-

-

Lindt & Sprüngli

Inserat SIGMA Excellence 70%

CH-10064

Magenta Cyan SchwarzGelb

Ink Coverage _ % Ink Coverage _ % Ink Coverage _ % Ink Coverage _ %

1 2 3 4

Barcode

Format/Stand/Vermassung

Separationen/Weissunterlegung

Strichstärke

Auflösung von Bildern/Verläufen

Abgleich mit Originaldaten

Achtung: Bei diesen Daten handelt es sich um Reinzeichnungsdaten, d. h. die druckspezifischen Eigenschaften wurden nicht berücksichtigt.

Operator

Kontrolle System Proof Bemerkungen

STS


Page 12 Page 13


WaltherPark Bolzano-Bozen

The neighbourhood around the bus station is the entrance to the old town of Bolzano and unfortu-nately, it is not very attractive. Th-erefore, this restructuring of the entire neighbourhood has been a concern of SIGNA‘s for some time. Consequently, the company has presented an extensive urban development plan to redesign and rezone this district in the South Ty-rolean provincial capital.

The urban development plan for this ensemble includes a new di-vision and design, new transport routes and a new infrastructure, a hotel, multiple apartments, of-fices, restaurants, social facilities, youth spaces and an attractive in-ner city department store, all in or-der to provide a decisive impetus for the quiet town of Bolzano and South Tyrol.

The architecture of this reco-very and rezoning project was designed by star architect David Chipperfield, who is responsible for many outstanding buildings around the world. This project will

turn a not very attractive neigh-bourhood that, however, is right in the centre of the city, into an extre-mely desirable central district.

Local politicians were not able to come to an agreement regarding continued political cooperation af-ter the local elections in the spring of 2015. The consequence of this was that no coalition was formed, and the city was then placed under provisional committee manage-ment. One of the first steps that the committee took was to have a general population survey carried out regarding the SIGNA project and to ask the inhabitants of Bol-zano whether they would vote for the rezoning and enhancement of their city.

From the very beginning, conti-nuous information and transparen-cy regarding the “WaltherPark” pro-ject was provided because SIGNA was adamant about involving the inhabitants and decision-makers – after all, this was to be a project that would be carried out for the citizens of the city of Bolzano and the pro-vince of South Tyrol.

As part of the referendum, which took place from 29 March to 4 April 2016, two-thirds of voters said that SIGNA should build the project. This result is all the more surpri-sing and pleasing because the local stakeholders and businessmen and a large media company clearly op-posed the project and raised a very intense counter campaign against

the facts. Nevertheless, SIGNA succeeded in convincing the popu-lation of the advantages of the re-zoning project for the city and its inhabitants.

In early 2017, the Bolzano administ-rative court rejected three objections to the “WaltherPark” project. After the approval of the population and the public administration the year prior, the court finally cleared the way for the project to be implemen-ted. Following this positive decision, and the further construction steps, as well as the planning develop-ments, the project will be realised and opened in three years.

The implementation of the project is bringing about a perceptible re-

vitalisation of the city of Bolzano and of the region as a whole, and is a very attractive additional offer of high-quality sales outlet premises for the population of Bolzano and South Tyrol.

As well as that, hundreds of new jobs will be created during the construction phase and after the opening of the many businesses which will come into being. Bolza-no will benefit from a significant uplift thanks to the additional tourists, attracted by the shopping opportunities and drawn to admire the architecture.

A further benefit will be the provisi-on of more green areas to meet the needs of the people. Moreover the range of recreation areas in natural surroundings will be substantially increased, with the Bahnhofpark (Railway Station Park) and the Bahnhofsallee being reconstituted as a “high-quality boulevard”.

Bolzano will have a new entrance gate to the historic inner city, an infrastructure with several pur-poses in the immediate vicinity of the centrally located Walther-platz. The inhabitants of Bolzano are looking forward to the project with a great deal of positivity and excitement.

The idea is that in 2019, a depart-ment store for the citizens of Bol-zano and South Tyrol will come into being here and “WaltherPark” will be hailed as a true model of success.


Start of construction in summer 2017

FILM - WALTHERPARK

AUGMENTED REALITY

CLIP - LINDT


LINDOR – ein Moment puren Chocoladenglücks, kreiert von den Lindt Maîtres Chocolatiers. Liebe und Leidenschaft für Chocolade seit 1845.


Page 14 Page 15

SIGNA: You are a pioneer in so-cial media and digital business consulting. The so-called “chat-bot” is a completely new digital trend, which is also being used by SIGNA. What is it exactly?

Hoffmann: Chatbots are text-ba-sed dialogue systems. The name is based on “chat” and “bot”, short for

“robot”. It is based on artificial in-telligence. Simple questions about a product or service are answered via a messenger service during a chat with a computer. Ideally, the chatbot will have a name and its own personality.

The customer gets information very quickly from the chatbot, which piques his interest, leading to him by doing a quick and easy search; almost like a face-to-face conversation.

SIGNA: What are the advantages of a chatbot versus known tech-

nologies, such as a website, for example?

Hoffmann: The customer gets the right answer to his question direc-tly. With the chatbot, I don‘t force the customer to figure out my own logic, such as how and where he can find information on my web-site. Of course, he would find it on my website, but it probably would take a lot longer.

SIGNA: But isn‘t the chatbot just a substitute?

Hoffmann: The chatbot will not replace a website or direct con-tact because there will always be people who prefer to find informa-tion themselves or to just call. In addition, I have to be searchable in the search engine, otherwise the customer may not find me. So the chatbot is an ADDITIO-NAL method, and not an either/or option.

SIGNA: In your experience, how are customers reacting to the chatbot?

Hoffmann: We developed a chat-bot for another customer of ours. Customers like it a lot. In the first three months, we had around 15,000 users and more than 30,000 messages.

The chatbot answers questions very quickly. Questions that it can-not answer – the rate for this is less than 10% – are forwarded to human colleagues, i.e. to a service centre. The chatbot is already reco-gnized as another service channel.

SIGNA: With a chatbot, I can find out very quickly exactly what the customer wants. This is of parti-cular interest for the real estate sector...

Hoffmann: Absolutely. Particularly in residential projects, like the PARK-

APARTMENTS AM BELVEDE-RE, there are many basic ques-tions that the chatbot can ans-wer very easily. This is a huge advantage, not only for the company, but especially for the customer, if he can easily get in-formation about a potential new apartment and get a feel for the project right from his own home. If there is a fit in principle, then things can go quite differently in the in-person sales discussion.

In other words, the chatbot ans-wers customers‘ basic questions, but these are actually the most important questions. And that is what it‘s all about.

In autumn 2017, SIGNA will be initiating chatbot service for the PARKAPARTMENTS AM BELVEDERE residential project.

In the 12 years since its foundation, ambuzzador has developed into the lea-ding buzz marketing and social media consulting agency in Austria. Since 2015, the agency also has an office in Berlin.

A team of 25 social media experts ensures the strong digital and personal re-putation of brands and their companies, including SIGNA, on their path to so-cial business.

SIGNA banks on virtual reality

On the occasion of the 19th EXPO REAL in Munich in October 2016, SIGNA once again took the oppor-tunity to present the latest techni-cal developments in the real estate sector. This time, the focus was on “virtual reality” (VR) – a topic that is very much at the forefront of the real estate sector. Virtual reality, digitalisation or augmented rea-lity are now common concepts in the industry. The advent of digital and virtual realities creates many almost unimaginable new oppor-tunities, especially for the real estate sector – from the planning all the way to the marketing of the projects.

“As one of the largest private real estate developers, we are aware of how important it is to be able to experience and present the proper-ties before they are ready. When it comes to finding prospective custo-mers for projects, realistic visualisa-tions are at the top of the list of es-sential marketing tools. In addition to the benefits of realistic visualisa-tion films and renderings, there is a huge potential for virtual reality in real estate sales”, says Christoph Stadlhuber, CEO of SIGNA.

SIGNA & VIRTUAL REALITYSince 2015, SIGNA has been using virtual reality tours for sales of

its office buildings that are still under construction. By wearing Oculus goggles or even on a tablet or smartphone located anywhere, users can get a clear picture of what the finished property will look like. This technology makes the property tangible and makes it come alive. It shows routing within the property, gives the vie-wer a feeling for the space and the associated security, and creates clarity for customers, all of which accelerate the decision-making process.

THE FUTURE OF VR IN HOUSING SALES“With our previous “virtual” cir-cuits, it was only possible to go from one visual axis to the next by means of controllable points, but new technologies, such as HTC VIVE, one can now move around in the room completely freely and in-dependently. I find that this is parti-cularly interesting for the housing industry, since we are primarily targeting private customers, who often make more emotional deci-

sions than those looking for office space”, says Christoph Stadlhuber.

Another variant – well-known in the gaming industry for a long time – is the possibility of walking through the future property at strolling speed using a game pad. Both innovations are being used by SIGNA for the first time for the Viennese residential project PARK- APARTMENTS AM BELVEDERE. Furthermore, a potential custo-mer who is interested in an apart-ment can soon choose the options for flooring and ceramic tiling by using a configurator. Whether dark or light – decision-making beco-mes easier and the customer gets a real idea of how the apartment will really look.

VR GENERATES POSITIVE EMOTIONSCustomers are demanding more and more individuality from the real estate and construction indus-try. Moreover, the “world”, which is getting continuously faster, does not make it easier to reach custo-

mers. “Tools like virtual reality help enormously and the feedback we have received is extremely posi-tive. Who doesn‘t remember their childhood, when they hold a joys-tick in their hands again and they can now use it to move through their future home? The “childhood self” generates positive emotions in potential buyers”, says Stadlhu-ber. “In addition, with the latest technologies, the customer sees a very realistic image and immedia-tely gets an impression about his or her new apartment.”

THE SIGNIFICANCE OF VR TOOLS FOR THE REAL ESTATE SECTORVirtual and augmented reality will go through a real boom in the real estate sector in the next few years. For the industry, this means that the technological advance will result in a real advance for mar-keting and therefore for success. “Of course, SIGNA wants to be and remain one of the pioneers in this area. We want to sell apartments online soon”, says Stadlhuber.

SIGNA @ Social Media

Since Facebook first appeared in the world in 2004, the topic of social me-dia has become an integral part of our communication and thus of our lives. The various platforms, inclu-ding Twitter, YouTube, Facebook, In-stagram, etc., allow us to stay in con-tact with family, friends, colleagues and customers, to exchange opinions, impressions, experiences or informa-tion, and to gather knowledge. Social media has changed and shaped the way SIGNA communi-cates, and it has also changed the

way we interact with our various target groups, partners and stake-holders, and how they communi-cate with us.

This development provides us with the opportunity to stake a claim in the digital world, to listen and par-ticipate. We can introduce topics, help guide communications, and help shape SIGNA‘s digital image. Based on all of this, social media are of great importance to us, and also because of their real-time and target group relevance.

SIGNA is positioning itself as one of the industry pioneers in the di-gital area in its core markets, and since autumn 2016, it has been using social media as a supple-mentary communication tool – to promote and market projects in order to introduce current trends, to position itself in regards to relevant topics, and to establish agendas.

We speak to a variety of target groups by using a mix of various networks on various platforms. At

Since autumn 2016, SIGNA has been using social media as a supplementary communication toolVR makes the property tangible and makes it come alive.

@signa_group

SIGNA Group of Companies

SIGNA Unternehmensgruppe

“We want to sell apartments online soon.”the corporate communication le-vel, SIGNA is currently focused on the LinkedIn, Xing and Twitter platforms.

Furthermore, SIGNA‘s CEO, Chris-toph Stadlhuber, regularly publis-hes personal pulse contributions on LinkedIn, regarding relevant industry topics and developments in the real estate and retail sectors.

In advance of the referendum on our WaltherPark rezoning project in Bolzano in spring 2016, in addi-tion to using traditional media, we also placed a great deal of empha-sis on social medial channels to motivate the population to vote for our project and thus for a revi-val of Bolzano.

And with great success – almost two-thirds of the electorate voted to have us carry out the project,

consisting of a department store, hotel, offices, apartments, social areas and a park in Bolzano.

Recently, we launched the blog “Aufschwung Bonn” [“Bonn Revi-val”], which provides information on the project and the Citizens‘ Workshop, in which the citizens of Bonn can contribute their own ideas for the development of the Viktoria- karree.

On Instagram, we let now pictures speak of our outstanding PARK- APARTMENTS AM BELVEDERE project and its attractive sur-roundings, and inform interested parties several times a day about the surrounding infrastructure, the neighbourhood, progress on construction, as well as the va-rious nearby leisure and sports facilities.

Photo © ambuzzador / Jürgen Hammerschmid

“A chatbot answers basic customer questions, and that‘s the whole point of it.”INTERVIEW WITH SABINE HOFFMANN, AMBUZZADOR


V


Page 16 Page 17

Sales values starting from

€ 870,000—

EXCELLENTARCHITECTURAL

HERITAGE.Selected apartments with breathtaking views.

Centrally located in Vienna and designed by Renzo Piano.

Completion by the end of 2018

+ 43 1 908 19 [email protected]/selection

A project by

HW

B 26

,81

kWh/

m2.

a (a

vera

ge v

alue

)

From product to customer experience

© ambuzzador GmbH

In recent times, day-to-day bu-siness has become so fast and unrecognisable: customers have long since moved away from pre-defined processes for submitting enquires or complaints, and now express their dissatisfaction loud-ly online where everyone can see it. Employees publicly share views on their employer with each other.

Even the smallest operational hiccup, such as pre-peeled ban-anas on sale in a Billa supermar-ket, has the potential to unleash a shitstorm.

And on top of all that, totally new competitors are springing up and conquering markets – and most importantly consumers’ hearts – unusually quickly. These include start-up Number 26, which now has

a banking licence and is a serious competitor to conventional banks. This is nothing new. Or is it?

THE THIRD INDUSTRIAL REVOLUTIONWe are in the middle of the third industrial revolution: the transiti-on from the industrial age, when the guiding principle was enhan-cing efficiency in specially adap-ted organisational forms, to the digital age, where businesses score highly if they offer the maximum possible level of personalisation and flexibility.

In what is today a rigid, produc-tion-led set-up, we are confronted with the powerful desire of the digital generation for varied, re-al-time experiences, preferably ad-apted to the current situation.

To meet this need, experimental working methods are required so that the various elements of jobs become interchangeable and every task is a new learning opportunity.

Experimenting means varying and testing, which is the opposite of the current method of planning and monitoring.

USING A DIRECT LINE TO CUSTOMERSNew media have also come into play as a “hotline” to customers. Apart from sales, this is often the only direct line available, not only to existing, but also to potential buyers. THE opportunity to put out feelers every day, to hook up sen-sors in the community that enable companies to learn and test possib-le solutions directly.

But it is also a chance to send out impulses that stimulate interacti-on and demand – on an equal foo-ting, of course.

Comprehensive customer experi-ence design, not product develop-ment, is now a decisive factor when competing for attention and ultimately in determining the suc-cess of business models.

CORPORATE AGILITY AS A REQUIREMENT FOR DIGITAL BUSINESS MODELSAgainst the backdrop of this de-velopment, calls for organisatio-nal transformation are growing louder. A communications depart-ment with digital expertise as the lone standard-bearer is nowhere near enough: in order to be able to utilise opportunities – including

for communication – in real-time, collaboration between different parts of a company is essential.

Such new structures provide the agility necessary to respond to the exponentially high pressure for change, as opposed to simply reac-ting to disruptive influences.

Bringing this grand vision to life demands a discussion of leadership, starting with leadership sty-les in the various phases of change processes, negotiating new values for corporate cultures, new forms of cooperation, and the personal development of executives as lea-ders for a new age.

An age of collaboration that will open up new opportunities for everyone.

How social media and digital technologies are transforming business models

Marke KundePRODUKT

Soziale Medien

Sales +

POS

(digitales)Geschäfts-

modell

CustomerJourneyDesign

ERLEBNISPotenzielleKunden

Digitale Transformation

© ambuzzador GmbH

BY SABINE HOFFMANN

AUGMENTED REALITY


©Roman Thomas


Page 18 Page 19

SIGNA Premium GroupExpansion of its leading market position

in the luxury sector

The KaDeWe Group is the leading premium and luxury department store group in the brick-and- mortar sector in Germany and Eu-rope, and operates three luxury department stores: KaDeWe in Berlin, Oberpollinger in Munich and Alsterhaus in Hamburg. With the acquisition of Germany‘s lar-

gest fashion mall for premium and luxury fashion on the Internet, MYBESTBRANDS, in mid-2017, the company has also strengthened its position in the digital sector.

Its market presence and the profi-les of the stores in Berlin, Munich and Hamburg will be adapted to

international standards, such as can be found at Harrods or Ga-leries Lafayette. The three stores will be positioned as the internati-onal „best in class“ in collaborati-on with KaDeWe Group‘s strategic partner, the Italian La Rinascente Group. They will each undergo a complete renovation and will get

a new look: KaDeWe will be redesigned by the Dutch architect and Pritzker Prize winner Rem Kool-haas. In Hamburg, the award-win-ning German architectural firm of Kleihues + Kleihues will manage the redesign of Alsterhaus. The Englishman John Pawson, who created the store design for Calvin

Klein, will take on the redesign of Oberpollinger.

In the coming years, SIGNA and its partner will invest EUR 150 mil-lion in the new design and recons-truction, and the first construction stages for the three stores have al-ready been completed.

Alsterhaus, Hamburg

“The Storey” – Oberpollinger´s Concept Store, Munich

The official opening of the brand new accessories hall brought the first phase of Alsterhaus’s transfor-mation to a successful conclusion. The atrium now features a selec-tion of the most desirable brands ever to go on sale at Alsterhaus since it opened over a century ago.

Bags and accessories from labels such as Celine, Saint Laurent, Balenciaga, Fendi and Valentino, watches and jewellery from exclu-sive Swiss jewellers Bucherer, and high-class gifts and delicacies from London’s Fortnum & Mason herald the arrival of truly modern luxury at the long-established store.

The fully renovated atrium, ba-sed on a design from Kleihues & Kleihues, also signals the start of a new age. The accessories hall gives a clear indication of what’s in store: the classical structure and mariti-me atmosphere are a homage to

the city whose history has been in-tertwined with that of the store for decades, while the atrium’s clarity also conjures up images of coastal landscapes.

Sebastian Herkner, one of the lea-ding lights of the contemporary design art scene, was behind the in-terior design for the centre on the remodelled ground floor. The sur-rounding area is an adaptation of characteristics that are so typical of his work – visible handcraftsman- ship and authentic materials – for-ming an interior that is emotional, functional and luxurious, but also understated. Herkner’s creations bear witness to the fact that mo-dern shopping is also an aesthetic experience.

The opening of the accessories hall last November was accompanied by a campaign that echoed the in-nate affinity with the city of Ham-burg and a world-class product range.

The upgrade reflects a desire to emphasise the store’s local roots even more strongly. Thanks to its position on Jungfernstieg, Alster-haus is the jewel in the crown of The KaDeWe Group, and the new interior is an extension of the sto-re’s unique location by the Binnen-alster lake – with an urban atmo-sphere and an unrivalled, premium product range.

The KaDeWe Group’s major de-partment stores have always been and will remain magnets for shop-pers and innovation leaders in the premium segment in their respec-tive cities – because they are much more than simply places to go shopping.

They are places where people meet and experience. The events they host also play an important cultu-ral role. They are inspirational and have always been a step ahead of their time.

High season in HamburgTHE NEW ACCESSORIES HALL AT ALSTERHAUS

Groundbreaking concept stores are appearing in more and more ma-jor cities – Alpha 60 in Melbourne, 10 Corso Como in Milan and Lon-don’s Dover Street Market, to name but a few. As a blend of avant-gar-de, big-city spirit and art project, concept stores are breaking the accepted rules of the retail trade. They are social and style hubs, form their own communities and know exactly how to develop a cult location for customers.

The opening of The Storey at the Oberpollinger store brings this spi-rit to Munich. Munich is constantly changing, and with it definitions of urban street style and the essence of big-city living. The opening of urban clothing concept store The Storey at Oberpollinger in Novem-ber 2016 marked the launch of a new department featuring interna-tional labels and local designers. The collections are united by a ce-lebration of the freedom that now

shapes modern fashion. Contem-porary, iconic mixed-and-matched forms from Libertine-Libertine, bomber jackets from Alpha Indus-tries that reflect the spirit of the times, design accessories for gad-gets from Shinola, and men’s per-sonal care products from Triumph & Disaster are just a few examples. Sneakers hand-made in Munich by VOR or in a minimalist Scandina-vian style from Arkk Copenhagen illustrate how the line between

The StoreyOBERPOLLINGER’S CONCEPT STORE

BEST-IN-CLASS THANKS TO REM KOOLHAAS

leisure and formal apparel is beco-ming more and more blurred.

The Storey is an integral part of Oberpollinger’s facelift. The con-cept store is not just a shopping location, but more a space for art – thanks to the high-profile design from architectural duo Gonzalez Haase. The architects’ project un-derlines the way in which the gap between fashion and art is closing. Far removed from familiar de-

The first stage in the revolutionary redesign of the KaDeWe has alrea-dy been concluded: with their newly restored arches, the ten windows on Tauentzienstrasse recall the store’s defining feature when it opened in 1907. Extended by almost five met-res, the windows are complemented by a remodelled main entrance, the contemporary design of which is in sharp contrast to the historic feel of the glazed facade.

Over the coming years, the 60,000 m² of space at the store will be gradually divided into four

quadrants for various fashion col-lections, including designer, clas-sic, sports and experimental; each quadrant will be accessible from the main entrance and will have its own dedicated escalator. KaDeWe’s pre-exisiting roof structure will make way for a glass constructi-on that will enclose the entire se-venth floor.

The public space below the glass roof features restaurants, bars and a rooftop garden that will remain open after the stores close, and will also have a separate entrance. The

transformation of KaDeWe is due for completion by 2018, and dis-ruption to operations will be kept to a minimum.

Rem Koolhaas’s master plan for KaDeWe’s interior is already taking shape, with two quadrants alrea-dy open. An extensive selection of brand-label women’s fashions is now available on the second floor. Paris-based designer India Mahdavi came up with the design concept for the women’s fashion quadrants. A bold artist who has worked on projects on several continents, she

describes contemporary shopping as no less than a “cultural experience”.

The quadrant devoted to men’s shoes and accessories from brands such as Dries Van Noten, Valenti-no and Ted Baker was designed by Storage Milano. The architects have remained true to the typically Milanese taste for functional archi-tecture, perfectly interspersed with sensory elements: “shopping is an activity for all the senses,” as they put it, in reference to the first floor, which offers plenty of space to whi-le away the time and experience

the exclusive collections more in-tensively than ever.

The concept of visionary Pritzker Prize winner Rem Koolhaas and his Office for Modern Architecture (OMA) is centred on forward-looking architectural design coupled with optimal spatial orientation for customers, as well as on preserving KaDeWe’s heri-tage, which is more closely intertwined with the city and its people than any other store in Berlin. Koolhaas aims to gradually give KaDeWe a new look, putting it on an equal footing with the world’s top department stores.

KaDeWe, Berlin

signs, The Storey is marked by the playful use of contrasts, differen-ces and inconsistencies in its for-mal language, colour scheme and choice of materials.

The Berlin-based architects have labelled the result “cold chic” – the contemporary interplay between tradition and dynamic urban living that is embodied in the city of Munich and the Ober-pollinger store.

The new KaDeWe

FILM - KADEWE OPENING

FILM - BEHIND THE SCENES


DER FRÜHLING KOMMT, DIE KILOS GEHEN.DIE BESTEN FRÜHLINGSANGEBOTE JETZT BEI KARSTADT SPORTS.

KS_Signa_267x170_07.indd 1 24.02.17 16:25


Page 20 Page 21

INTERVIEWRENÉ BENKO

Karstadt Warenhaus

With another significant increase in earnings, Karstadt Warenhaus is now well on the road to a full recovery. This is also reflected in the old-established department store chain’s extensive investment in its nationwide German branch network.

NEW-LOOK STORES IN KONSTANZ, LÖRRACH AND LÜBECKKarstadt launched comprehensive modernisation projects at its Kon-stanz, Lörrach and Lübeck outlets in early summer 2016.

The fully redesigned branch in Konstanz, which is now fully aligned to customers’ needs, re opened its doors in time for the Christmas shopping season. A number of new areas have been added to the store since June 2016, with a view to capitalising on its outstan-ding location on the Swiss border.

These include a completely new, 1,600 m² sportswear and childrens-wear section, and an additional 100 m² of space for the women’s ou-terwear and swimwear collections.

The Lörrach branch has also scored highly with an extended product range. The selection of brands in the watches and jewel-lery department has grown sig-nificantly thanks to a new store design concept.

The grand opening caused a stir throughout the city and attracted widespread media coverage.

At Karstadt’s Lübeck store, the various levels have been reor-ganised, and two attractive new tenants secured in the shape of Edeka and health and beauty re-tailer dm. The stores have proved popular with customers in the city and have generated additi-onal footfall, making them the perfect complement for a suc-cessful outlet.

Customers will find completely new product ranges in Karstadt Bielefeld.

NEW PRODUCT RANGES IN BIELEFELDIn Bielefeld, Karstadt unveiled a new product presentation concept designed to maximise emotional appeal. The leather goods, lugga-ge and shoe departments on the ground floor were completely re-vamped and the various brands – such as Picard, L.Credi, Gerry Weber, Rimowa, Samsonite, Globe-

trotter, Gabor and Lloyd – reposi-tioned.

A new signage system in these de-partments gives customers a better overview of the individual product ranges.

Natural cosmetics and gifts/wrap-ping sections have also been added to the perfume and stationery de-partments. The brand new fashion and accessories collections right next to the main entrance are a stand-out feature. In the same area, and in eleven other depart-ments, highlight display units will showcase the latest additions to the various product ranges.

On the first floor, customers will find fashion collections from newly positi-oned brands such as Adagio, Peckott, Rabe, Olsen, Betty Barclay, MAC and Angels. The service portfolio has been expanded to include generously proportioned changing rooms.

The new presentation concept will initially be tested in selected stores such as Karstadt Bielefeld, before being rolled out across Germany.

The branch in Konstanz was redesigned and fully aligned to customers’ needs.

Karstadt Warenhaus invests in store network

The Lörrach branch also scores highly with an extended product range.


anteige dfl in signa.indd 1 27.02.2017 16:31:45

G E R M A N Y ’ S F I N E S T S H O P P I N GInnovativ, luxuriös und wegweisend – das KaDeWe, das Alsterhaus und der Oberpollinger zählen zu den etabliertesten Warenhäusern Deutschlands und zu den renommiertesten in ganz Europa. Mit ihrer beeindruckenden über 100-jährigen Geschichte sind sie zu unverwechselbaren Markenzeichen geworden. Sie stehen für ein unvergessliches Shopping-Erlebnis, internationale Luxusmarken und exzellenten Service und verbinden Heritage und

Modernität wegweisend in Sachen Einkaufskultur.

kadewe.de · oberpollinger.de · alsterhaus.de

AZ_Signa_Times17_RZ.indd 1 31.01.17 18:37


Page 22 Page 23

dress-for-lessThe online designer fashion outlet returns to its former glory

The troubled times are over for dress-for-less GmbH. With the par-ticipation of SIGNA Retail, calm and confidence have returned to the company – an old success story will soon be revived.

In August 2016, Mirco Schultis, the founder of dress-for-less, re-turned to his former role of CEO to re-establish the success the com-pany enjoyed in the early 2000s. Holger Hengstler will also support the company as an active member of the advisory board. These two

names are inextricably linked to the successful times that dress-for-less had. The common goal under the new owner SIGNA Retail is to restore the company to its former glory.

Since investing in the company, the focus has been on the com-pany‘s reorganisation and re-orientation to make it stronger coming out of the ongoing insol-vency proceedings and to start ge-nerating growth again on a healthy basis.

The core of the strategy is the com-pany‘s reorientation based on the original business model – back to the classic online designer fashion outlet. A central component of this is the re-establishment of the anticyclic purchase model: Purcha-se good items of the remaining stock at a good price at the end of the season and then sell these to customers at top prices during the next season. The prerequisite and success factor here are the re-lationships with suppliers, which ensure access to the best remai-

dress-for-less, leading online outlet in designer fashions in Germany.

ning stocks, which were re-estab-lished and secured through Mirco Schultis‘ good connections in the market.

The restructuring of the compa-ny includes the re-establishment of the success strategy and aligns the organisation and processes on the basis of this business model. Since August 2016, the organisa-tion and management team have been restructured and their size has been adapted to the business model.

Furthermore, a realistic plan, with ambitious but profitable growth targets, has been created as the ba-sis for the investment plan, which is to return dress-for-less to its former glory by 2018.

The results of the first six months of work can already be seen. Profi-tability has long since been resto-red, dress-for-less is earning money again and, together with SIGNA, can see its way out of the insol- vency proceedings and into an inde-pendent future.


ANTHONY JOSHUAIBF, HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPION

AUCH IN DEINER KARSTADT SPORTS FILIALE ERHÄLTLICH.UNDER ARMOUR THREADBORNE T-SHIRT, 44,95 EUR.

Shut

ters

tock


Page 24 Page 25

SIGNA Sports GroupMulti-channel specialist is number 1 in Germany

and among the top 5 in Europe

Launch of SIGNA Sports Group

internetstores

In 2016, SIGNA Retail acquired the majority stake in the online sports retailer OUTFITTER, in Europe‘s leading bike and outdoor e-com-merce company, internetstores, and in Europe‘s most successful multi- channel retailer in the tennis sec-tor, Tennis-Point. At the beginning of 2017, SIGNA Retail, through its subsidiary internetstores, ac-quired Probikeshop, the leading online bike retailer in Southern Europe and France. Together with Karstadt Sports, number 2 among the largest brick-and-mortar spor-ting goods retailers in Germany, these companies form the newly established SIGNA Sports Group.

With target revenues of about EUR 650 million in 2017, 45 brick-and-mortar locations in the DACH region (Germany, Austria, Switzerland), and 58 web shops in 17 different countries, SIGNA Sports Group is clearly number 1 in Germany and ranks among the top 5 in the multi-channel sports sector in Europe. SIGNA Sports Group has become one of the largest and most dynamic omni-channel players in Europe, especially in the team sports, run-ning, football, biking, outdoor and tennis segments.

The key strategic factor in its success and the USP of the newly established SIGNA Sports Group is its consistent focus on digital business. The acquisitions it has made over the past year, which were exclusively in the online segment, will lead to an increase to over two thirds of the online market share of the group‘s re-venues in 2017. At the same time, the “digital heads” behind each of the online companies were also impressed by SIGNA Sports Group‘s vision, so that their excel-lent entrepreneurial expertise was secured for the Group into the future.

The entire team of founders, who have each built up their compa-nies from scratch and managed them successfully for many ye-ars, has continued to be actively involved in the management of the individual companies and committed to the SIGNA Sports Group as a whole. In spring 2017, René Köhler, founder and Chair-man of internetstores, took over the function of Chairman of the SIGNA Sports Group. SIGNA Sports Group is proud to have one of the largest, best and most entrepreneurially experienced

teams of online business experts in the European sports market.

At the Berlin location alone, one of our digital hubs, almost 50 emplo-yees are involved in technological development and, as a high-calib-re tech leadership team, they now form the spearhead for the further digital transformation of the SIGNA Sports Group. Here, the future topics of online commerce, such as mobile commerce, best-in-class customer experience, content management and state-of-the-art execution are the focus, and new strategies for first and third party retail, the marketplace and plat-form are discussed and tested.

In the efficient processing of the value-added chain, the SIGNA Sports Group can rely on modern, partly highly automated logistics hubs in cities such as Helsingborg, in Sweden, Frankfurt, Unna, Esslin-gen or Herzebrock-Clarholz near Gütersloh to ensure proximity and speed not only for our customers in the DACH region (Germany, Aus-tria and Switzerland), but also for our customers throughout Europe.

The integration and networking of the individual SIGNA Sports

Group investments in each other is one of the next major steps to-wards further qualitative optimi-sation. There is a lot of potential here. On the one hand, the focus of the next 12 to 24 months will be on very concrete synergies. On the other hand, there are extre-mely interesting opportunities in the standardisation of IT systems and logistics processes, as well as in intelligently coordinated further internationalisation.

At the front-end of our value-added chain, further interlinking of our online and offline points-of-sale will be the focus of our operational measures. Additional cross-chan-nel approaches within the Group will be closely reviewed. In au-tumn of this year, OUTFITTER will open another brick-and-mort-ar shop in a very good location in Frankfurt, in addition to the existing outlet store in Mainz. In addition, shop-in-shop solutions for the online brands in the exis-ting Karstadt Sports shops are al-ready being discussed in creative terms now.

In the brick-and-mortar trade, it is still necessary to ensure that customers receive first-class ad-

vice and high-quality service from our on-site staff, who are and will continue to be the first and last point of contact. In the future, these offline points of contact will be integrated into a customer-based platform strategy of the SIGNA Sports Group and networked to create cross-chan-nel added value for our custo-mers. Against this background, exchanges at all levels within the SIGNA Sports Group will be further systematised and actively implemented.

Of course, all SIGNA Sports Group companies will remain se-parate and independent of each other. The profitability of each individual company – a clear USP of the SIGNA Sports Group in the offline world – has always had priority over cross-divisional pro-jects. It will only be possible for the entire SIGNA Sports Group to become a leading omni-channel sports group in Europe, if each individual company successfully and profitably manages its own organic growth opportunities and succeeds in its own market segment, providing sustainab-le added value for the entire Group.

OUTFITTER ProbikeshopTennis-Point Karstadt Sports

FILM INTERNETSTORES

FILM TENNIS-POINT



Page 26 Page 27

SIGNA demonstrates social responsibility

Whether by participating in the AIDS Charity gala, by getting invol-ved in the Tyrolean Child Protecti-on Association or in the Association

“Sag Nein zu Krank und Arm” [Say No to Illness and Poverty], by being a cultural sponsor for the Kunst-forum, for “Stimmen zur Zukunft Europas” [Voices for the future of Europe], an event organised by the Austrian Federal Chancellery, or for “Nachbarinnen in Wien” [Neighbours in Vienna], Christine Scholten‘s project – an association which sup-ports the integration of families

with a migration background, by getting involved in the Munich Chil-dren‘s Home, by participating in the

“Wider die Gewalt” [Fight against Vi-olence] Gala or by sponsoring the Tyrolean Childhood Cancer Socie-ty – SIGNA is committed to these and other associations and projects. SIGNA demonstrates its great social responsibility, with a total of around 1 million euros in annual donations to sports, arts and social concerns.

A focus of SIGNA‘s social commit-ment starts every year in January,

with the sponsorship of the Kitz Charity Trophy, on the occasion of the legendary Hahnenkamm Week- end. Year after year, the participants, people who are as well-known as they are committed, gather at the slopes of the Streif to take one ano-ther on in a tough sporting competi-tion. This year, too, needy Tyrolean mountain farming families will be given a helping hand by way of a significant contribution.

For the 9th year in a row, the tradi-tional raffle was held at the SIGNA

Christmas party, this time at the Jagd-hof in Stubaital. This year, more than 50,000 EUR (!) were collected at the Christmas event through ticket sales to SIGNA staff and to the manage-ment, with Nathalie and René Benko being especially generous once again.

René Benko handed over the first substantial donation from this SIGNA raffle in the form of two checks of 5,000 EUR in the Ö3 Weihnachtswunder 2016. The dona-ted money is given to families in need in Austria through the “Licht

ins Dunkel” [Light in the darkness] emergency aid fund. It is used to cover payments, electricity bills, emergency aid after tragic deaths, for food vouchers, all of which help to stabilise people‘s lives in acute emergencies.

It is an unwritten law, and a form of social code, that those people whom fate has smiled upon should provide support for those who have a more difficult path to fol-low – and that is the guiding motif of the SIGNA commitment.

Checks handed out during the Ö3 Weihnachtswunder 2016

Kitz Charity Trophy, Kitzbühel 2017 Handling over the check for the “Tyorlean Kinderschutzverein”

“Nachbarinnen in Wien” supports families with a migration background


TAG HEUER CARRERA CALIBRE HEUER 01Mats Hummels gehört zu den besten Innenverteidigern der Bundesliga. Technisch und taktisch ein Ausnahmetalent, setzt er wie TAG Heuer neue Maßstäbe und hält getreu dem Motto „Don’t Crack Under Pressure“ jedem Druck stand.

Page 28

TIMES1 2 3 4 5 6

Date post:	03-Sep-2020
Category:	Documents
Upload:	others
View:	0 times
Download:	0 times

Launch of SIGNA Sports Group...made the leap into the digital era. Target revenues for the Sports...

Documents