Nhood has landed a mandate that speaks directly to how retail landlords are now thinking about value creation in a tightening consumer environment. The company's Poland team will provide Specialty Leasing services across the entire Polish shopping centre portfolio owned by Focus Estate Fund, under a one-year agreement signed on 5 June 2026 covering the temporary letting of retail spaces and outdoor areas. The mandate arrives with a performance record behind it: over the past two years, Nhood's Specialty Leasing services have generated a 34% increase in revenue for its clients across Europe.
What is worth flagging for investors tracking Focus Estate Fund's wider European strategy is what this deal actually covers, and what it does not. Focus Estate Fund is a Luxembourg-based private equity real estate investor specialising in value-add retail across Western and Central Europe, with a portfolio of 13 shopping centres spanning four countries, approximately 220,000 m² of gross leasable area and around €200m of assets under management. This agreement covers only the Polish portion of that footprint, meaning the remaining assets across Focus's other three markets sit outside this specific mandate, a distinction that matters for anyone assessing how far Nhood's relationship with the fund could ultimately extend.
The ten properties now under Nhood's management are Sosnowiec Plaza, Rybnik Plaza, Ruda Slaska Plaza, Galeria Mosty, Galeria Sandecja, Turawa Park, Ferio Legnica, Galeria Sandomierz, Shopping Park Eden and Galeria Awangarda. Max Shkolnick, General Partner at Focus Estate Fund, framed the decision as a deliberate value-creation play: "We are pleased to partner with Nhood in Poland and entrust the company with Specialty Leasing across our entire portfolio. We believe that a professional and proactive approach to temporary leasing will not only create additional revenue streams, but also strengthen the attractiveness of our shopping centres for both customers and retail brands. We see Specialty Leasing as an important element of our value creation strategy and look forward to working together to unlock the full potential of our assets."
Dorota Suchodolska, Business Development Director at Nhood in Poland, said the scale of the mandate reflects growing confidence in the model: "The fact that Focus Estate Fund in Poland has entrusted us with managing its entire portfolio confirms that Specialty Leasing is becoming a key element of the commercialization strategy for retail centers. We are grateful for this trust. Our aim will be to propose solutions that will enhance the appeal of the shopping centres covered by the agreement, generate additional revenue and meet the needs of both our client and the brands interested in having a presence in the centres it manages."
The services on offer go well beyond conventional short-term lettings, spanning pop-up locations, retail islands and kiosks, markets, and brand activations designed to build customer loyalty. A dedicated Nhood Poland team led by Agnieszka Wronska will manage the properties on Focus Estate Fund's behalf. Agnieszka Wronska, Director of Operational Marketing and Short Lease at Nhood in Poland, explained the commercial logic behind the approach: "Our approach goes well beyond traditional short-term leasing and delivers significant benefits to commercial property owners. In addition to generating additional revenue, it supports the achievement of the property's business objectives by increasing its appeal and competitiveness. Carefully selected pop-up stands with unique product offerings, themed fairs, and special events enrich the shopping centre's offerings, attract new visitors, and strengthen the engagement of existing customers. As a result, the property gains higher foot traffic, a better shopping experience, and a stronger market position."
The deal adds to a Specialty Leasing division that grew 7% across Europe and Africa in 2025 and now manages over 2,500 spaces across seven countries, working with 3,000 brands through a dedicated team of more than 40 specialists. It sits within a much larger platform: Nhood's 1,600 employees manage assets worth €17.3bn across nearly 1,000 locations in Europe and Africa, serving more than 300 clients, a scale that gives the Focus Estate Fund mandate a credible operator behind it as both companies look to extract more value from underused retail space without resorting to capital-intensive redevelopment.
People mentioned:
- Dorota Suchodolska – Business Development Director, Nhood in Poland
- Max Shkolnick – General Partner, Focus Estate Fund
- Agnieszka Wronska – Director of Operational Marketing and Short Lease, Nhood in Poland
Companies mentioned:
- Nhood – Provider of Specialty Leasing services for Focus Estate Fund's Polish portfolio
- Focus Estate Fund – Luxembourg-based value-add retail real estate investor and owner of the ten shopping centres
Image Source: Nhood
