Previous optimism over the prospect of the construction market in the Southeast European region is gone, the Eastern European Construction Forecasting Association (EECFA) reports. The current forecast is foreshadowing almost no growth until 2023 and contraction in 2024. The main reason behind is the worsening climate for construction due to the consequences of the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

The listing value of commercial real estate properties such as shopping malls, office buildings and logistics centres could grow in the short and medium-term in Romania. The increase will be recorded in a volatile context generated by rising building material and utility prices, increasing inflation, as well as the border conflict and the effects of the pandemic, according to Colliers.

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.

As of 1 June 1 2022, the Board of Directors of NEPI Rockcastle has decided to permanently appoint Rüdiger Dany as Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and Eliza Predoiu as Chief Financial Officer (CFO).

Danny Bercovich was promoted to Regional Director of Retail of GTC. Previously, he has served the company as the CEO of GTC in Bulgaria and Romania. In the new role, Mr Bercovich will steer the company’s operations and growth strategy in the retail segment.

Data is key for the execution of a successful ESG strategy, according to the first panel discussion at the European ESG Property Forum conference in Warsaw where leading investors, bankers and advisors provided insight into the topic.

LPP, the biggest clothes manufacturing company in Central and Eastern Europe and owner of the Reserved, Mohito, House, Cropp, and Sinsay brands, is implementing Singu FM, a facility and maintenance management software from Velis Real Estate Tech. The system will be deployed across the LPP’s brand sales network of over 1,600 stores in 20 countries.

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.

Sylvie Geuten-Carpentier, Managing Director Poland and Tomas Cifra, Managing Director Romania, Czech Republic & Slovakia at Mitiska REIM talked to Property Forum about the trends driving the convenience retail market and shared some insight into the company’s investment strategy.

CPI Property Group reported first-quarter profit growth of 243 percent year-on-year to €381 million (roughly CZK 9.4 billion). It was able to do so thanks to its takeover of Austria's Immofinanz, which owns a number of commercial properties. CPI now owns 76.86 percent of the shares in this Austrian company. As a result, CPI is currently the Central European leader in real estate and is planning further expansion with the Austrian real estate company S Immo, where it now controls 42.6 per cent along with Immofinanz.