Shaftesbury appoints Karen Baines as new head of group marketing and communications

Shaftesbury PLC announces that Karen Baines will be joining the Company in the role of Head of Group Marketing and Communications, with effect from 31 May 2016. Karen will be responsible for the Company’s media strategies and promotional activity across its high-profile West End retail, restaurant and leisure destinations, which include Carnaby, Chinatown and Seven Dials.

Karen joins from the Heart of London Business Alliance, the West End Business Improvement Districts which represent 500 businesses and 100 property owners in the Piccadilly & St James’s and Leicester Square & Piccadilly Circus areas, where she is currently Head of Marketing and Communications.

Shaftesbury owns a unique real estate portfolio, valued at £3.1 billion, extending to 14 acres clustered in iconic locations in the heart of London’s West End.

The focus of Shaftesbury’s business is retail, restaurants and leisure. Its ownership includes 583 shops, restaurants, cafes and pubs, extending to over 1 million sq. ft. in Carnaby, Chinatown, Seven Dials, Soho, and Charlotte Street. Together these provide 70% of current income. The portfolio also includes 422,000 sq. ft. of offices, and 509 apartments.

Its proven long-term management strategy is to create, foster and promote distinctive, lively locations which attract domestic and international visitors as well as appealing to businesses, their staff and the flourishing local residential community.