Industry Magazine
epra_full_logo_white500

Taking the industry to the next level – EPRA membership benefits

Following the appointment of a dedicated Membership Manager, EPRA CEO Dominique Moerenhout briefs us about efforts made to boost collaboration, communication and connectivity with EPRA’s members and promote all stakeholders in the sector.

Iskren Marinov

Iskren has 8 years of EU association management and public affairs experience gained at Knowledge4Innovation and the European Parliament. Iskren holds a MA degree in European Affairs from Maastricht University and a graduate degree in International relations from Sofia University.

What are EPRA’s membership priorities?

Dominique Moerenhout: Our mission is to promote the growth of the sector and represent all stakeholders therein. That way, we can provide a platform in which members are well represented, and together we grow the influence of the sector. We want to foster long-term relationships and provide our members with networking opportunities, the latest industry research and guidance on how to better perform. Whether it be advise on BPR and sBPR or gaining access to the industry-leading FTSE EPRA Nareit Index series, EPRA membership should be regarded as synonymous with success in the listed sector.
To achieve this, we have adopted a two-fold approach: on the one hand, we need to ensure that current members are fully aware of and access EPRA membership benefits; on the other hand, we want to meet and inform prospective members about our outreach and activities. This is especially important with the rapid growth of alternative sectors and the increasing number of new listed companies, such as healthcare facilities, student housing and self-storage, as well as recent REIT regime developments in Hungary, Poland and Portugal.
Taking all of the above into consideration, we decided to recruit a dedicated Membership Manager to function as a permanent contact and liaison point for current and prospective members, and I am happy to welcome Iskren Marinov in that role, which has been specifically created for the members’ benefit.

What is EPRA’s membership strategy?

Iskren Marinov: To achieve these priorities, we regularly meet and talk with stakeholders all over Europe, to provide them with first-hand insights on the various activities that EPRA undertakes.
Apart from meeting with prospective members, we also concentrate our efforts on liaising and connecting existing members with departments within EPRA and help them reach out to a large sample of investors and new companies.
Since I joined EPRA this summer, I have noticed that, regardless of the size of the company, EPRA membership is valuable to all and can help companies gain access to key market players as well as provide them with opportunities to exchange views and best practices on an equal footing. This is a key advantage of EPRA membership that we will continue to expand on in the future.
I welcome you to contact me, should you have any comments or wish to discuss EPRA activities with me. You may reach me via phone on +32 2 739 10 23, or via email at i.marinov@epra.com