This article first appeared in City & Country, The Edge Malaysia Weekly on October 13, 2025 - October 19, 2025

In recent years, the Klang Valley has experienced a surge in mall developments, making the role of retail consultants increasingly vital amid rising costs and concerns of oversupply.

As developers and mall operators seek expert advice on market studies, tenant mix planning, mall repositioning and maximisation of returns, RCMC Sdn Bhd director Richard Chan says his company is a key player in meeting that demand.

“A lot of people I’ve met think RCMC means Richard Chan so and so, but that’s not it. It’s actually Retail Concept Management Consultancy,” he laughs.

As RCMC celebrates its 25th anniversary this year, Chan reflects on how the idea to start the company came about and its evolution.

After graduating from Wolverhampton Polytechnic (now University of Wolverhampton) in the UK with a Bachelor of Arts in Economics, he landed his first job through an acquaintance — as a management staff member at a shopping mall in Selangor.

“On the third day, the manager absconded and disappeared. I was still a management trainee and the boss told me to take over. On the eighth day, part of the building was set on fire. Someone did it to claim insurance and, because of that, the whole building was affected,” he recalls.

As a fresh graduate with no experience, he suddenly found himself responsible for handling the crisis while consultants, contractors and stakeholders looked to him for direction. With only security and housekeeping staff to support him, Chan had to make crucial decisions.

He says that experience, which included coordinating a clean-up that took five months, was his biggest lesson. It taught him about crisis management, fire safety systems, security handling and how to manage anxious tenants, and was the equivalent of earning a degree, he adds.

That hands-on exposure made Chan realise the retail industry in Malaysia was still in need of major improvements.

In 1984, Chan, along with other mall experts, formed the Malaysia Shopping Malls Association (PPK Malaysia), a professional body and advocate for shopping mall management in the country.

Over the years, he saw that the mall industry lacked proper guidance. In 1999, after his mother’s illness and passing, he found himself at a crossroads — return to the corporate world or pursue a new direction.

While large corporations had access to resources and expertise, smaller developers and property owners often relied on consultants who did not always offer sound advice. This gap inspired Chan to offer a more comprehensive service, leading to the formation of RCMC.

“The difference between us and other retail consultants is that we provide support from A to Z,” he states. “Let’s say you have a piece of land and want to do something with it. We come in, do the market study and determine what is viable for you.

“That means everything in between. And that’s the part that many retail consultants, if I’m not mistaken, don’t cover. We take care of the smallest details, even down to the machinery units, the type of air-conditioning system and the technical systems.”

Beyond planning, RCMC also helps its clients set up their own management team.

“You can have the best building, but if it’s not managed well, it will fail. Building the business takes time, but losing it is easy — that’s why management is still No 1,” Chan says.

“When clients couldn’t find the right staff, we helped them form and train their teams. One of the most important things we do is transfer our knowledge and experience. That’s invaluable — something money can’t buy. We bring in new, young staff and give them a clear career path.”

So far, RCMC has provided planning and retail consultancy services to more than 50 malls and retail centres across the country, including The Summit Subang USJ in Subang, Wangsa Walk Mall in Wangsa Maju, Kluang Mall in Johor and Aman Central in Kedah.

It is currently providing retail consultancy to five malls: EG Mall in Penampang, Sabah; EG Hypercentre in Tuaran, Sabah; TR2 on Jalan Tun Razak, Kuala Lumpur; Klebang Mall in Ipoh, Perak; and Danga City Mall in Johor Bahru.

To stay ahead, RCMC keeps up with trends in the sector, such as design concept, e-commerce and management methods.

With the retail sector evolving quickly and oversupply concerns looming, Chan says it is important for developers to be “careful” before embarking on mall or retail centre projects.

“You have to be certain and ask the right questions. Do you have the finances? Is the location suitable? Have you done proper studies? What kind of market are you targeting? What concept are you planning? If you’ve done all your homework, then, yes, you can do it.”

Macroeconomic factors that could affect the market in the next couple of years are also of concern, Chan adds.

“[Higher tariffs are] affecting us — it’s not good. We’ll suffer for now, maybe for the next year. The world is changing; globalisation is changing,” he says.

“BRICS is a good thing. We will see a major shift and, when that happens, we must consider this … China, India, Russia and Asean’s population, plus South America — together, we are the majority. We can already trade among ourselves. This is where the trend will change, but it will take time.”

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