Westfield Group, Canton, OH, USA

The Westfield Group is an Australian shopping centre group undertaking ownership, development, design, construction, funds/asset management, property management, leasing, and marketing activities. The multinational company is listed on the Australian Securities Exchange and has interests in and operates one of the world's largest shopping centre portfolios with investment interests in 104 shopping centres across Australia, the United States, the United Kingdom, New Zealand and Brazil, encompassing around 23,000 retail outlets and total assets under management in excess of A$63 billion.In 2010, the Westfield Group split 50% of its Australian and New Zealand assets into the Westfield Retail Trust, trading on the Australian Stock Exchange as.HistoryThe Westfield Group had origins in the western suburbs of Sydney. The first development was named "Westfield Place", and opened in July 1959 in Blacktown. The name Westfield is derived from "west" related to the West-Sydney location, and "field" due to having located on subdivided farmland. The centre was opened by John Saunders and Frank Lowy.