NEPI Rockcastle appoints Romanian Marius Barbu as Chief Operating Officer

NEPI Rockcastle NV, Europe’s third largest listed retail real estate company by portfolio value, has appointed Romanian Marius Barbu as Chief Operating Officer (COO) with effect from April 1, 2026. He will succeed Marek Noetzel, current COO and CEO-designate.

Barbu has also been nominated as a Board Director and will stand for election at the next AGM to be held in May 2026.

Marius Barbu is currently NEPI Rockcastle’s Group Asset Management Director and has over 25 years of experience in asset management, real estate, and retail.

Barbu joined the group in 2012 and was appointed as Group Asset Management Director in June 2022, leading strategic operational priorities, business transformation, marketing, and property management.

With over 13 years of experience within the group, he has consistently expanded his oversight of portfolios, from the country level in Romania to eight geographies across Central and Eastern Europe, the company said.

Before joining NEPI, Marius Barbu built further expertise in real estate asset management, leasing, retail marketing, and branding, working for international organisations such as Argo Capital Management, Mivan Development, and Unilever South Central Europe.

George Aase, Chairman of NEPI Rockcastle, said: “Marius Barbu has an unrivalled understanding of, and sound experience in, the operational dynamics of the NEPI Rockcastle portfolio. His deep knowledge of the group, coupled with a proven track record of strong performance and a significant contribution to the executive management team, has made him the Board’s clear and natural choice to ensure continuity in the role of COO.”

NEPI Rockcastle’s over EUR 8 billion portfolio is located across eight CEE countries and includes 60 properties. It is a market leader in Romania and Poland (its two largest markets) and has shopping centres in Bulgaria, Hungary, Slovakia, Croatia, the Czech Republic, and Lithuania.

(Photo source: the company)