Our Experts

Head of Design and Branding Department

Armen brings a deep understanding of how the retail sector operates, which allows him to create designs that stimulate sales and improve the customer’s experience.

Armen is the co-founder and head designer at Retail Design Pro. Over the past 20 years, Armen has designed numerous shopping centers and stores, including the award-winning Lotus Plaza that received two prestigious international awards: PROESTATE & TOBY Awards 2020. Lotus Plaza was recognized as the best in Russia in two categories:

★ The best project in the nomination from 150,000 to 400,000 sq.ft.
★ The best architectural solution for a commercial real estate object.

Armen is the co-author of two books (in Russian language) (1) Designing stores and shopping centers and (2) Commercial Real Estate: Challenges and Opportunities. Over his career, Armen has studied modern trends in retail and the architecture of retail facilities in 40 countries throughout the Americas, Europe, and Asia. His careful study of the best shopping centers and stores has helped him to create contemporary, popular and profitable retail facilities.

Heads of Marketing and Site Planning Department

Kira and Ruben Kanayan are leading retail and retail real estate experts. Kira and Ruben Kanayan have extensive experience working with retail chains, shopping centers and multifunctional complexes. These projects ranged from greenfield opening of stores, retail chains and shopping malls, from concept creation and site selection, to the optimization of existing commercial facilities to increase their profitability and strengthen their competitive position in the market.

Kira and Ruben Kanayan are recognized specialists in the site planning of retail facilities, assortment management, and merchandising and have authored several books.  Their 2001 book “Merchandising” was the first Russian publication about merchandising, its rules and laws applied in practice. Then, in 2005, the authors published the book “Designing stores and shopping centers,” which was also the first on this topic and offered specific solutions and useful tips for both beginners and for experienced professionals. Their third book – “Commercial Real Estate: Challenges and Opportunities” (2009) – analyzed the current and future shopping center market, with practical information for developers, property managers and tenants. In 2020, another book was published – “Handbook for the shopping center tenant.”

Along with practical work, they teach at the Russian Academy of the National Economy, at the Marketing programs and the Presidential Management Training Program, and also conduct an author’s course on the MBA program at the Higher School of Economics. Over the past 20 years, they have provided training to hundreds of shopping center and store owners, developers and managers.