European property chiefs will be in Bratislava on 22 September when the Czech Republic and Slovak National Committees of The International Council of Shopping Centres (ICSC) host a retail real estate conference at the Crowne Plaza Hotel on investment strategies and the future of the region's retail real estate.

Retailers from Inter Ikea, Marks & Spencer and Deichmann will debate the strengths and weaknesses of the landlord and tenant relationship with landlords ECE Projektmanagement and Ballymore Properties, and Martin Sabelko, CEO at ING Real Estate CEE, will deliver the keynote speech on long and short term real estate strategy.

The conference schedule includes presentations on effective marketing strategies by award-winning European marketing professionals, and successful asset management by Walter Wölfler, head asset manager of Development, Immoeast, Austria.

Jan Kubicek, chair of the ICSC Czech Republic National Committee and fund manager and head of asset management CEE for ING Real Estate CEE said: 'Our speakers are want to share their expertise across the retail real estate industry and we believe that through sharing views and information at conferences such as this we shall contribute to overcoming difficult times in our region.'

Marek Kalma, chair of the ICSC Slovak National Committee, head of sales and leasing, Penta Investments, Slovakia, said: 'he line up of retailers speaking at the conference is impressive. Their continuing interest in the both Slovakia and the Czech Republic already shows strong future investment confidence in the region.'