Rafael Espinosa joins as Principal, focusing on expanding retail services throughout Mexico and Latin America

Mexico City, MEX – Seasoned retail services expert, Rafael Espinosa has joined Avison Young as a Principal the firm announced today. Espinosa will focus on driving retail performance and growth for clients, providing leasing and market intelligence based on data and trends, facilitating comprehensive retail and project management expert services and identifying opportunities for both developers and shopping center owners across Latin America.

“Rafael’s more than 30 years of experience make him the ideal person to lead our retail services platform, delivering business vision and strategy through to its successful execution,” said Emile Sarraf, Avison Young Principal and Managing Director of the firm’s Mexico City office. “He provides certainty, cost reductions and aligns strategic business goals with owners’ interests during a critical period in history facing the retail landscape.”

Prior to joining Avison Young, Espinosa served as CEO of REALCE, a company he founded in 2010, providing targeted growth solutions for diverse business models throughout Latin America. He also worked for Grupo Salinas for eight years where he oversaw the opening of more than 2,700 bank branches across Mexico and Latin America. He further co-founded two start-up companiesspecializing in designing, implementing, and constructing commercial real estate projects, corporate offices and distribution centers. 

“It is a critical time for the retail industry and Avison Young’s collaborative, integrated service structure is what drew me to the firm,” said Espinosa. “Working with high caliber professionals who are committed to creating economic value, coupled with a strategy to obtain attractive returns with a high degree of certainty in their real estate investments is the right move and I look forward to working with my colleagues to deliver value-added solutions to retail clients.”