DDR Corp. said it named Forest City Realty Trust Inc.'s William Ross as COO, effective Jan. 3, 2017.

Ross, a retail real estate industry veteran, has served as executive vice president of asset management at Forest City since 2006.

He will oversee asset management and property management and focus on improving same-store NOI and cash flow at the property and portfolio levels at DDR, the company said in a release.

President and CEO Tom August said in an October earnings call that the company was looking to add more executives with retail experience, such as a president or COO. August, who serves as chairman of DCT Industrial Trust Inc., was named CEO of DDR in July after the abrupt termination of David Oakes, who was the company's president, CEO and interim CFO.