Colliers Appoints Martijn van der Heijden as Director of Retail Capital Markets in the Netherlands

Colliers has appointed Martijn van der Heijden as Director of Retail Capital Markets in the Netherlands, the firm announced Sept. 18, 2026. Van der Heijden assumes the role on Oct. 1 and will be responsible for retail leasing and investment transactions in the Dutch market.

Background and Responsibilities

Van der Heijden brings more than 20 years of experience in retail real estate. He spent the previous 16 years at KroesePaternotte, where he served as an adviser and partner. His areas of focus have included prime high streets, shopping centers, retailer expansion, and retail investment transactions.

At Colliers, his remit expands to include leisure and food-and-beverage alongside his established specializations. He will also lead the formation of a Dutch retail team, which he will build out over the coming period, according to the firm's announcement.

Market Context: Dutch Retail Investment Recovery

The appointment comes as Dutch retail investment has entered a recovery phase following the interest-rate-driven repricing of 2022–23. Retail investment reached approximately €1.2 billion in the first half of 2026, nearly 30% above the same period a year earlier and the strongest first-half result in a decade. Retail accounted for 17% of total Dutch real estate investment in that period, its highest share since 2017, with full-year volumes projected at approximately €1.7 billion.

The broader Dutch investment market has also expanded sharply. Total real estate investment in the Netherlands reached approximately €7.0 billion in the first half of 2026, up roughly 36% year over year and the strongest first half since 2022. Full-year Dutch investment is projected at approximately €15 billion.

Market participants note that the recovery is not primarily driven by yield compression. With risk-free returns at approximately 3.2%, returns are increasingly expected to come from rental income, rental growth, and optimization of existing stock rather than broad initial-yield declines.

Prime High Streets Leading the Leasing Recovery

Leasing conditions in prime locations have improved more clearly than in the broader retail market. Prime Dutch high-street rents rose 6.5% in the first half of 2026, ending four years of stagnation. On Amsterdam's Kalverstraat, prime rents increased from €2,500 to €2,600 per square meter. On Rotterdam's Lijnbaan, rents rose from €1,350 to €1,500 per square meter, an increase of approximately 11%.

Overall Dutch retail vacancy stood at 5.6% at the start of 2026, down from 5.8% a year earlier. Retail parks have shown particular resilience, with vacancy of approximately 4.4% — below estimated frictional levels — and rapid re-leasing activity. Retail-park initial yields range broadly between 6.5% and 9%, depending on asset quality and location. Smaller retail units continue to face frictional vacancy and repositioning requirements, with activity remaining concentrated in strong locations and resilient formats.

Average Dutch real estate rental growth is projected at 2% to 5% annually, supported by low vacancy, limited new development, and population growth.

Strategic Implications for Colliers

The hire positions Colliers to compete for mandates that combine leasing and investment-sales advisory in a market where transaction opportunities are increasingly location- and format-specific. Van der Heijden's background spanning high streets, shopping centers, and retailer expansion aligns with the firm's stated intention to cover leisure and food-and-beverage alongside conventional retail categories.

The appointment reflects a broader industry shift toward specialized sector teams as transaction volumes recover selectively. Firms with detailed knowledge of tenant demand, high-street rents, operating formats, and asset-level repositioning are better positioned to compete for mandates as domestic and international investors return to Dutch retail.

Sources

Colliers — Colliers stelt Martijn van der Heijden aan als Director Retail Capital Markets (Sept. 18, 2026)