Every success story is the result of hard work combined with a keen long-term vision.
And so is the story of businessman José Isaac Peres. His thoughts and attitudes are reflected in the strategy of Multiplan, of which he is the founding partner. His successful career began in 1963. Ever since, Peres has been innovating and accumulating awards both in the field of real estate as well a shopping malls, having been one of the industry’s forerunners and a point of reference in the Brazilian and international markets.
A native of Ipanema in Rio de Janeiro, Peres created the Veplan real estate development corporation, his first company, when he was 22 and still a student in the former Faculdade Nacional de Economia (National School of Economics) at Praia Vermelha in Rio de Janeiro. His first challenge was to sell a residential building in the neighborhood of Lapa, in the city center; it was completely sold out in 19 days. In 1966, Peres launched the Cidade de Rio de Janeiro building located on Rua Almirante Barroso, also in the center. It was the city's first building with a mechanically operated garage — a real estate breakthrough at the time. This project was fully sold out in just two days.
Thereafter, Peres never looked back. He began investing in the shopping center segment when the industry was still in its infancy in Brazil, always betting on areas distant from urban centers. He was the creator of Shopping Ibirapuera, São Paulo, the first in the current mall model.
The malls eventually stimulated development of the regions in which they were located. That is what happened with BH Shopping, in Belo Horizonte; with BarraShopping, in Rio de Janeiro; and RibeirãoShopping in Ribeirão Preto. Peres also has been a real estate innovator, building Latin America’s first residential condominium containing a lighted golf course, bike paths, a helicopter pad and leisure club. This project, Barra Golden Green located on Av. Sernambetiba, on the beach of Barra da Tijuca in Rio de Janeiro, is a synonym today in Brazil for a high luxury condominium.
Peres’ entrepreneurial spirit and vision transformed Multiplan into one of the most solid and dynamic companies in Brazil, working through synergies generated by linking together shopping centers and real estate development projects.
In 2007, Peres took the company public, capitalizing it and speeding up its expansion. Currently, Multiplan is a shopping center industry sales leader, with 18 units in operation and three under development. Peres' goal is to grow by progressively investing in mixed-use projects, which bring together shopping malls, commercial buildings, residential towers and hotels in a single location. This is an international market trend that Multiplan has implemented successfully for a number of years through developments such as BarraShopping, which is connected to BarraShopping Business Center; New York City Center and VillageMall; and RibeirãoShopping, where a hotel and a business center are nearby, among others.
