Profile: Westfield MD Michael Gutman

One shopping destination has been synonymous with the London 2012 Olympics - Westfield Stratford City.

After all the preparations and the excitement of the extravaganza, Michael Gutman, managing director of Westfield for the UK and Europe, might - like an athlete - feel ready to leap into an ice bath.

Instead he is already limbering up for his next challenge, as the eyes of the world focused on, and were impressed by, what the UK has to offer.

“We’ve had three times as many people coming through the centre as before the Games and at the same time we are getting wonderful opportunities from people across the world that want a centre in their country,” Gutman says.

As he looks back on the past few weeks, Gutman thinks Westfield took its place on the retail podium. “It’s been a wonderful experience and a privilege,” he says. “When you see the athletes winning their medals and saying it’s the most wonderful moment in their life, I think we could say the same thing.”

Gutman moved into the property world after training as an architect and has been with Westfield for two decades. For half of those 20 years Gutman worked in Australia and New Zealand, before coming to London in 2002.

Ten years on, Stratford’s regeneration is the “envy of cities around the world”, Gutman maintains. Once barren industrial land has been transformed into an exciting area full of opportunity.

Stratford, and before that Westfield London in Shepherds Bush, have changed the face of shopping centres in the capital but Gutman does not want to stop there.

At the moment he is currently battling it out with rival property giant Hammerson to redevelop Croydon and create a third London shopping centre.

Speaking generally rather than about Croydon, Gutman thinks Westfield brings a unique perspective. He says: “I’ve been able to lead a wonderful team of people, which has culminated in these two centres in London that have revolutionised how you look at retail schemes.

“In many ways we brought fresh eyes to the market. Innovation, adaptability and evolution is the hallmark of the business. We are a global business and a lot of cross-fertilisation takes place.”

Embracing the digital world has been key to the success of the Westfield centres. Free wi-fi and mobile charging, and an app that ensures shoppers can easily find their way back to their vehicle, are among the services available.

“We want to enhance the customer experience and we’re using technology to do that,” says Gutman.

But Westfield has had its hurdles to tackle such as the significantly delayed shopping centre in Bradford, which Westfield is understood to be considering selling. The property developer came under fire when plans for the site were mothballed in the recession, after which point Westfield had already demolished the 23-acre site, leaving Bradford with an ugly hole in the city centre.

The project was reignited last year after Westfield resubmitted a planning application.

But for now the Olympics has created a positive buzz across the UK, surprising many observers. But some retailers who hoped for a boost from the global event were disappointed as people chose to watch the sport rather than go shopping, or stayed away because of congestion fears.

Gutman says: “There was certainly a period of acclimatisation to the Games because they don’t come every day.

“The whole event was overwhelming. I think the success of the opening ceremony and Team GB will be a shot in the arm for business. There will be a positive glow.”

When he does get down time, the keen swimmer enjoys spending time in the pool but despite his ties with the Olympics, he hasn’t been able to take a dip in the aquatics centre just yet. And that might still have to wait as Westfield gets on its marks for whatever becomes its next big project.