With over two decades of experience in commercial real estate, Petr Machula has witnessed—and helped shape—the industry's transformation from analogue chaos to digital sophistication. Now spearheading business development at SINGU, a leading CAFM platform, Machula reveals how cutting-edge AI, ESG integration, and deep user insight are redefining facility management. In this interview, he shares how SINGU is not just keeping up with the times but setting the pace for the future of operational real estate across Central and Eastern Europe.
Petr will be a speaker at this week's Prague Property Forum 2025. He'll join a panel discussion focusing on finding the right investment opportunities.
You have been operating in the commercial property market for over 20 years. How has the sector evolved during that time? Still ‘emerging’ or already ‘mature’?
The transformation has been remarkable. In the late 1990s, real estate was still establishing the basic frameworks of modern commercial real estate. Processes were manual. Investor confidence was cautious. Standards varied widely.
Today, we are part of a fully integrated European market. The level of sophistication, transparency, and digitalisation has improved dramatically. Office, retail, and logistics sectors have matured. Institutional capital is well established. ESG, tenant experience, and data-driven decision-making are now standard themes throughout commercial real estate.
Is it mature? Yes, by global benchmarks. Due to the complexities of operational real estate in large portfolios, there are still inefficient workflows and manual processes. But like any dynamic market, it is also evolving. The shift to sustainability, AI, and smart technologies opens a new frontier. That is where I believe real progress will come next.
