Optimisation and sustainability are central to the Asset Manager role

From a design meeting about ventilation with a restaurateur – to a meeting about valuations with an investor. Aron Gunnarsson, Head of Asset Management at Retta, describes a role that demands analytical ability as well as a passion for business development and sustainability.

Aron Gunnarsson joined the property manager Retta in January 2023 as an Asset Manager. He has a solid background in the real estate industry, including at AMF Fastigheter and CBRE. Today, Aron heads Retta’s Asset Management department, which consists of four people.

“As Asset Managers, we have overall responsibility for the properties Retta manages. We work in teams with technical property managers, technicians, financial specialists and, for larger shopping centres, sometimes centre managers. Our role covers everything from holding a dialogue with tenants to executing major projects and making sure everything happens on schedule,” Aron explains.

Retta has seen strong organic growth, and Aron’s department is planning to expand the team by one or two people in the near future. They are also recruiting commercial property managers.

No two working days alike
The cliché that “no two days are the same” fits an Asset Manager at Retta well. A typical working day can involve anything from negotiating with new tenants to running construction projects. The department handles everything from offices and logistics to commercial properties, each with its own particular challenges.

“Commercial properties have a higher operational flow and require more management of wear and tear, while logistics properties have their own specific needs. One day we might be planning ventilation with a restaurateur, and the next we are discussing valuations with an investor,” says Aron.

Optimisation in focus
An important part of the work is about optimisation – everything from consumption and ESG issues to installing solar panels and using AI to reduce energy peaks. Aron enjoys working with sustainability issues.

“It is highly rewarding to see how much we can cut consumption and, together with Retta’s Head of Sustainability, optimise and improve things to reduce a property’s climate impact.”

The majority of the properties Retta manages are commercial and owned by funds.

“We focus heavily on financial optimisation. As always, it is about reducing costs and increasing rental income,” Aron says.

An industry in transition
The property industry has undergone significant change in recent years, particularly during and after the pandemic.

“We have seen a shift from large offices with table tennis and FIFA games to smaller spaces. Now we are seeing a new wave where people want to return to the office, and as managers we have to adapt,” says Aron.

The global economy and interest rates have also had a major impact on funds and properties.

“I think we have all become less risk-inclined and more analytical in our decisions. It is a matter of keeping up to date. Information and data matter more now than ever,” Aron notes.

An open culture and values that are real
What attracted Aron to Retta above all was the company’s culture and working environment.

“I have worked with different companies and been through many reorganisations. When I met the recruiting managers, both of whom had worked here for over ten years, I felt that Retta is a company that genuinely lives up to its values,” says Aron.

Retta has a flat organisation where everyone, from the CEO to the technicians, works closely together and has fun together.

“We hold workshops on our values, and here an open culture where people speak their minds isn’t just something you say – it’s real,” Aron concludes.