Retail Experts Join Dallas, London, Dubai and Hong Kong Offices to Increase Global Capabilities
CallisonRTKL announced today that Ignaz Gorischek and Leigh Dennis have joined the firm’s Retail Practice Group in the Dallas and London offices respectively, while Doug Shaw has relocated to the firm’s Dubai office and Shirley Cheng has relocated to Hong Kong to expand the firm’s growing retail presence in those regions. The four retail design leaders burnish what is already considered one of the strongest retail design teams in the industry.
“Today’s retail landscape is not only more complex than ever before, but it’s also changing rapidly,” said Eric Lagerberg AIA, CallisonRTKL’s Executive Vice President and Global Practice Group Leader for Retail Stores. “It’s digital, it’s experiential and it’s global. With these strategic moves, we now have the experience and creativity to meet the new demands of the market…anywhere in the world.”
CallisonRTKL’s retail design team provides insight into the changing retail equation, forecasts industry trends and anticipates tomorrow’s needs today. Having worked with some of the world’s leading brands, the practice has been ranked #1 by Retail by Building Design + Construction magazine in 2015 and by Interior Design magazine in 2016. With more than 80 years of combined experience, these four professionals take the firm to a new level and create a truly global powerhouse in retail design.
Ignaz Gorischek, CallisonRTKL Vice President, joins CallisonRTKL from Neiman Marcus, where he was Vice President of Store Development, responsible for visual planning, store planning and new business growth. Gorischek has a distinguished history of more than 20 years with the company, having opened new Neiman Marcus stores around the country, including the phenomenally successful stores in Coral Gables, Florida, San Antonio, Texas and Natick, Massachusetts. In 2012 he was recognized as a Design Luminary in design:retail magazine’s 2012 Portfolio Awards.
“CallisonRTKL has long been a trailblazer in retail design, and I am excited to join such a well-respected and innovative firm,” said Gorischek. “I look forward to collaborating across the company, especially at a time of vast change within the industry.”
Based in London, Leigh Dennis, CallisonRTKL Senior Vice President, will lead the Retail Practice Group for the U.K. and Europe. He joins CallisonRTKL from Samsung where he was Global VP Brand Experience. Dennis, whose career spans more than 20 years in branding and retail design, has created award-winning retail environments for some of the most successful retail brands in the world. In his new role, Dennis will leverage his international background to develop and deploy design solutions for retail projects in the region. Prior to Samsung, Dennis was CallisonRTKL’s Managing Principal in London and New York.
“The best brands of tomorrow sit happily at the intersection of the physical and virtual worlds, observing our relationships with products, services and spaces,” said Dennis. “I help brands use these insights to create next generation retail experiences, and improve the lives of people.”
Doug Shaw, CallisonRTKL Director, will lead the Retail Practice Group for the Middle East. He will play a crucial role in driving business development for retail store projects, coordinating the deployment of resources, fostering collaboration among offices and elevating the practice’s position in the region. Shaw oversaw design in the CallisonRTKL Beijing office for five years before his recent appointment to Dubai. This is a return to the city for Shaw, who worked out the CallisonRTKL office in Dubai from 2009 to 2010.
“I am thrilled to back in Dubai,” said Shaw. “The pace of growth has picked up noticeably, and I look forward to working with brands to create innovative and interesting retail spaces for the region’s sophisticated consumers.”
Finally, Shirley Cheng, CallisonRTKL Vice President, has relocated to Hong Kong to direct the group’s expanding footprint in Asia. Cheng, a native of Hong Kong, will be responsible for growing the retail team in the region and for developing new client relationships while serving current clients. Cheng was previously in the CallisonRTKL Beijing office where she worked closely with high-profile retail brands.
“The market in Asia is very different from the rest of the world,” says Cheng. “It is a fast-paced, dynamic environment, and I look forward to introducing brands into the region and shepherding them through the design process.”
CallisonRTKL has a long and distinguished history in retail design, beginning in North America and expanding to China and Southeast Asia, Europe, the Middle East and Australia. The firm’s retail clients include department stores: Bloomingdale’s, Harrods, Nordstrom and Shinsegae; luxury boutiques: Burberry, Hublot, Hugo Boss and Watches of Switzerland; and specialty stores: AT&T, Cole Haan, Sandro and Williams-Sonoma.
About CallisonRTKL
For more than five decades, Callison and RTKL have created some of the world’s most memorable and successful environments for developers, retailers, investors, institutions and public entities. In 2015, our two practices came together under the Arcadis umbrella, expanding our sphere of influence and the depth and breadth of our resources. Our team is comprised of more than 2,000 creative, innovative professionals throughout the world who are committed to advancing our clients’ businesses and enhancing quality of life. callisonrtkl.com
About Arcadis
Arcadis is the leading global Design & Consultancy firm for natural and built assets. Applying our deep market sector insights and collective design, consultancy, engineering, project and management services we work in partnership with our clients to deliver exceptional and sustainable outcomes throughout the lifecycle of their natural and built assets. We are 27,000 people active in over 70 countries that generate €3.4 billion in revenues. We support UN-Habitat with knowledge and expertise to improve the quality of life in rapidly growing cities around the world. Arcadis. Improving quality of life.