SM Supermalls president Steven Tan was recognized as one of Winshang's Golden Censer Prize winners for being "The International Influential Person of the Year 2023 in Shopping Centers" at the 2023 China (International) Shopping Center Summit in Shanghai on 24 August.
The Golden Censer Prize is a large-scale professional recognition of China's commercial real estate and famous brands initiated by Winshang, in collaboration with mainstream industrial media, based on field research, data analysis, and media surveys among others.
Tan, who assumed the role of president of SM Supermalls in 2020, has been a key figure in the growth and innovation of the mall chain in the Philippines and China.
Retail legacy
As President, he oversees mall operations in both countries, carrying forward SM's 65-year legacy of retail innovation and outstanding customer service.
Under his leadership, SM Supermalls withstood the challenges of the pandemic and rebounded as the economy slowly opened up amid the global health crisis.
With the guidance of the Sy family, Tan made sure that SM responded with an agile, innovative, and proactive approach to cater to the needs of all stakeholders, from employees and tenants to shoppers.
Mall's strategies
The mall's strategies — adapting the tenancy mix, creating novel reasons to attract visitors to malls, targeting new customer segments through innovative marketing, and developing omnichannel services — enabled them to gain the trust and loyalty of modern shoppers during the pandemic.
Because of this, SM managed to recover and exceed pre-pandemic revenues and income by 2023. In line with its latest expansion program, SM continues to open new malls in China and the Philippines.
This brings the total number of shopping centers, locally and internationally, under Tan's stewardship to 93, featuring a cumulative construction area of over 10.8 million square meters and a daily foot traffic of more than 4.2 million.
The latest malls to open were SM City Yangzhou last 28 September 2023 and SM City Sto. Tomas, Batangas last 27 October 2023.
Numerous accolades
Tan's exceptional efforts were also honored by various international organizations over the years. He received numerous accolades including the 2021 Asia's Most Influential by Tatler Asia, the 2022 Asia Pacific Women's Empowerment Principles Awards Leadership Commitment by United Nations Women, and the Global Filipino Executive of the Year at the Asian Chief Executive Officer Awards just to name a few.
His dedication and visionary leadership continue to shape the landscape of shopping centers and commercial real estate, not just in Asia but across the globe.