Hammerson has appointed Rob Wilkinson from AEW Europe as the company’s new chief executive officer.
Wilkinson will join Hammerson’s board on 15 December 2025 as chief executive officer designate and will take up his role as chief executive officer with effect from 1 January 2026.
At AEW Europe, Wilkinson served as chief executive officer for more than 11 years and prior to that he worked for Goodman Group, Eurohypo and UBS.
He will succeed Rita-Rose Gagné who in June announced her intention to retire from Hammerson in 2026, following five years in the role. Gagné will continue to lead the business during 2025 to ensure an orderly transfer of her responsibilities, before stepping down as CEO and from the board on 31 December 2025.
Robert Noel, chair of Hammerson, said: “We are delighted to be appointing Rob Wilkinson as the next CEO of Hammerson. Rob is an established and proven real estate leader who brings a wealth of experience and a track record of delivering shareholder value. Through a rigorous recruitment process, Rob stood out from a strong field of candidates as someone who was able to translate strategic insight into shareholder value creation through exceptional leadership. On behalf of the board, I welcome Rob to Hammerson and look forward to working with him when he joins the business in December.”
Wilkinson added: “I am honoured to have been appointed as CEO of Hammerson and look forward to working with the team. Under Rita-Rose’s leadership the company has completed a major turnaround of the portfolio and restructured the balance sheet, firmly establishing Hammerson in a new phase of growth. I am excited to continue this journey, advancing the company’s unique portfolio of prime retail and leisure anchored city destinations.”
