Sandy is the 14 year old computer genius that became a CRE Titan! | Hue Chen CRE

🏬 Retail Traffic Is Up: Sandy Sigal (NewMark Merrill) on AI, R&D, and the Future of Shopping Centers
In this essential 14-minute CEO session from the Blueprint Vegas conference, Sandy Sigal (CEO & Founder of NewMark Merrill) is interviewed by Tom McGee (CEO of ICSC).

Sigal, a retail veteran with over 100 open-air centers, discusses why the data thrown off by retail is the industry's ultimate asset, how technology is a new form of rent, and the surprising post-COVID strength of physical retail. He also forecasts how innovations like Autonomous Vehicles and construction robotics will change site values and development patterns forever.

This clip is packed with high-level insights on strategy, technology investment, and community building for all real estate operators.

Video Chapters
0:00 | Introduction: Tom McGee (ICSC) & Sandy Sigal (NewMark Merrill)

0:18 | Sigal's Early Tech Roots: Programming at Age 12 (VisiCalc, Pre-Floppy Disk)

1:29 | Why Retail: The Unique Connection to Customer & Community

2:16 | The Post-COVID Reality: Traffic is Now Higher Than Before 2019

2:53 | Data is the Asset: Why Retail Throws Off a "Massive Amount of Data"

3:57 | Case Study: Placer AI. Being the first investor and adopting the tool early.

5:50 | Tech in Action: Smart Cameras for Validation & Customer Sentiment Analysis

6:51 | Business Structure: Why CRE Needs to Add an R&D Line Item

7:44 | Philosophy: Retail's Unique Ability to Change a Neighborhood

9:00 | Leadership: The Role of a Leader is to Inspire and Provide a Clear Vision

10:14 | Future Disruption: Autonomous Vehicles. Losing the Proximity Bonus.

11:51 | AI, Robotics, and the Future of Retail Construction

12:50 | The Curated Center: Using Sentiment Data for Tenant Mix

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#ICSC #PropTech #RetailRealEstate #CommercialRealEstate #SandySigal #CREData #FutureofRetail

📌 About this Channel:
I'm Hue Chen, a real estate investor and operator focused on shopping centers and retail CRE. I share insights on leasing, acquisitions, operations, tech, and scaling a management company.

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