ARTICLES LABELLED WITH TAG Austria

Günther Artner (49) has taken over the management of the Commercial Real Estate business of Erste Group and Erste Bank Oesterreich as of 1 July 2022. Artner thus succeeds Patrick Zehetmayr, who is leaving Erste Group.

Immofinanz is presenting an updated strategy following the majority takeover by CPI Property Group. The company plans to continue its value-creating growth strategy with a strong focus on retail properties and office solutions. As part of an active portfolio management, properties with a value of approximately €1 billion will be sold and the proceeds invested in higher-yielding assets. The successful course of the company will be continued on Immofinanz’s robust financial base together with the strengthening of ESG activities. Immofinanz will benefit in pursuing this strategy from close cooperation with the CPI Property Group and the related synergy effects.

After the successful completion of the mandatory takeover offer of CPI Property Group on Immofinanz the Supervisory Board and the members of the Executive Board Dietmar Reindl and Stefan Schönauer mutually agreed today in relation to the Change of Control Event, that their contract as board members shall end on 8 June 2022. Dietmar Reindl and Stefan Schönauer will continue to work for the Company as advisors to the Executive and Supervisory Board until 31 December 2022.

Immofinanz has announced that the Supervisory Board has appointed Radka Doehring as a member of the Executive Board as of 1st May 2022 for three years.

People have started to return to their usual shopping destinations. That is reflected in the positive business development of SES Spar European Shopping Centers during the second year of the pandemic. Compared to 2020, significant growth was recorded in retail partner sales, visitor footfall and average spend per purchase. This positive upward trend was recorded by SES in all countries in which it operates centres. Despite the pandemic, in 2021, a total of €22 million was invested in maintenance and sustainable measures relating to the operation of the centres, as well as in project development.

Property group Immofinanz has presented its new residential brand On Top Living during MIPIM, the biggest real estate fair held in Cannes. The company plans to develop up to 12,000 smart and sustainable apartments at affordable prices in the medium term. 

Immofinanz today received a request to convene an extraordinary general meeting, together with an agenda covering elections to the Supervisory Board. According to the convocation request, CPIPG holds an investment (directly and indirectly) of approximately 54.86% in Immofinanz and recommends (via its subsidiary WXZ1 a.s.) two new members for election by the general meeting.

Low interest rates and high inflation continue to drive demand for investment properties with the residential asset class remaining highly popular. As more and more private individuals, family offices and trusts are diversifying their portfolios, Arnold Investments has greatly expanded their commercial property segment. Investments in critical retail properties, logistics and offices are currently interesting, but hotels are also performing surprisingly well. Multinational brokerage firm Arnold Investments, which supported almost 100 transactions in 2021, summarised key investment market trends in Austria and other regional countries.

With the ending of the acceptance period of its takeover offer for Immofinanz, CPI Property Group announced that it will soon hold at least 53.33% of Immofinanz’s share capital and voting rights.

The Executive Board and Supervisory Board of Immofinanz have issued supplementary statements on the announcement by CPI Property Group SA (CPIPG) of the increase in the offer price to €23.00 per share (cum dividend) and increase in CPIPG’s investment in Immofinanz to roughly 48.18% through the purchase of shares from S Immo AG. The Executive Board and Supervisory Board still view the improved offer price as too low given the successful development of Immofinanz and the current value of the company. Moreover, the offer price does not include an appropriate control premium in connection with CPIPG’s intention to attain control over Immofinanz.