Tell us about yourself and your responsibilities as in-country assistant asset manager in Cyprus.

I grew up in Pretoria, South Africa attending Die Hoërskool Menlopark, where I matriculated in 2017. I enjoyed a variety of different subjects at school, but decided to pursue chartered accountancy because even though it was centered around finance it still provided the versatility to explore different career paths. I completed my BCom Accounting Degree and Post Graduate Diploma at the University of Pretoria. In my final year of studies, I was offered the opportunity to complete my training contract at Deloitte London.

At the age of 22, I made the big leap of starting my first job in a new country, not knowing that this would only be the beginning of my journey abroad. I first became acquainted with the Atterbury brand in Pretoria and I have been an avid follower of the company. It was for this reason, that when I received the call that an opportunity had presented itself to join the Atterbury Europe team as the Assistant Asset Manager in Cyprus, I knew this was something I needed to grab with both hands. I did not take this decision lightly. My fiancé, Suné Stander and I considered everything carefully. We both recently qualified as CAs and we decided this would be the perfect time to seize this challenge and start a new adventure.

To say that I have a complete grasp of the responsibilities of an asset manager at this stage, would be a stretch, as I am still learning every day. My focus is to maximise the return on our assets and the in-county aspect refers specifically to our Cypriot asset portfolio. To maximise return, I will work together with the local team to efficiently and effectively combine financing, leasing, operations and marketing to drive synergies and unlock the full potential of our assets. As an assistant asset manager, under the guidance of our group asset manager, Altus Swanepoel, I will also be focusing on high-level aspects such as our tenant mix and solve various problems, as and when they arise.

“I have always believed in the power of a fresh perspective and hopefully, I can provide a new approach to existing challenges.”

What excites you most about overseeing Atterbury Europe’s real estate assets in this market?

I find the exposure to a vast array of factors and functions in our real estate assets at a granular level exciting. Our Cypriot assets really represent a microcosm of our wider portfolio, offering me the opportunity to manage strong existing assets such as the Mall of Cyprus and the Mall of Engomi, while also being involved in a greenfields development in the proposed Mall of Limassol.

Are there any real estate trends or development opportunities you see emerging in Cyprus that you can share?

Being in the commercial real estate business means we are in the business of people. The real estate trends and development opportunities are therefore very closely linked to the consumers in the market. We hope that the forecasted reduction in inflation combined with a decrease in interest rates will lead to an increase in consumer spending – and ideally, we want that spending to be in our malls.

Further to this, Cyprus has a very strong construction industry and although retail development has lagged slightly behind other sectors, it will inevitably catch up with the expansion we are seeing in the residential and commercial real estate sectors, and we can definitely capitalise on that.

In my short time here, I have also noticed that there are a lot of international brands that have not yet entered the market on the island. By providing the right spaces and conditions for these companies, I also believe we can tap into that unexplored potential.

How will your prior experiences influence your approach to managing Atterbury Europe’s portfolio on the island?

Fresh out of my articles, my prior experience is largely driven by my audit career. Fortunately, by being in the private division of the firm, I encountered a wide array of industries – real estate being one of them. I look forward to bringing this knowledge to the table, together with a focus on improving the control environment and business processes within the company. I have always believed in the power of a fresh perspective and hopefully, I can provide a new approach to existing challenges.

As mentioned before, I had a love for a great variety of subjects at school – one of them being engineering graphics and design and there are still some lingering childhood dreams of architecture. If I am somehow able to combine this with my experience in finance and management, I believe I can add something novel to our portfolio.

“The real estate business is about people. We want to meet and exceed the needs of the communities.”

What challenges do you anticipate in Cyprus’s real estate market, and how do you plan to tackle them?

The Cyprus real estate market, like many of the markets in which we operate, is still developing and the retail development sector in Cyprus has lagged slightly behind the boom seen in other sectors. I think the challenge we face in this regard is filling this gap in the market and showing the local communities, municipalities and authorities the incredible value add that our developments bring to the island.

Working in a foreign environment, cultural differences and the different regulatory environment can be a barrier to entry, but this is something I plan to tackle in conjunction with our incredible local team. This will ensure that we do not merely operate in Cyprus, but that we are able to meet and exceed the needs of the communities.

Cyprus has recently faced challenges due to geopolitical uncertainty in the region, with various conflicts having an impact on the Cypriot market. I am optimistic that the resolution of these conflicts will lead to a further increase in investment and tourism – something that we need to capitalise on. If, however, this uncertainty persists, I will tackle this by applying appropriate risk measures and provisions to ensure stability in our assets, regardless of external volatility.

With a spirit of adventure and a determination to help Atterbury Europe’s Cypriot portfolio thrive, Hans-Peter is well on his way to making a meaningful impact in this dynamic market. By pairing his auditing background with innovative insights, he aims to unlock the full potential of each asset — while forging strong partnerships with local teams and communities along the way.