In a video interview recorded at CEE Property Forum in Vienna, Andrei Văcaru, Head of Capital Markets CEE at iO Partners, shares his perspective on the year ahead, discussing market optimism, investor activity across the region and the company’s ongoing expansion. While the environment is changing quickly, the firm sees solid fundamentals, growing regional capital and strong momentum for a focused regional player.

iO Partners has appointed Andrei Văcaru as Managing Director for Romania, effective January 2026. After a transition period with Văcaru until year-end, Vlad Stanislav will take time off before pursuing new opportunities.

Generali Investments, in partnership with Peakside Capital, has closed the Generali Adriatic Value Fund I (Generali AVF I) following the sale of the Arkadia shopping centre in Domžale. The fund has completed its investment cycle, including the distribution of proceeds to investors and the commencement of its formal closure.

At CEE Property Forum 2025, a panel of senior real estate leaders examined how investors can build resilience in a rapidly changing market. Moderated by Clare Sheils, Managing Director of CBRE in the Czech Republic, the discussion explored how ESG, technology, shifting customer expectations and evolving legal frameworks are redefining what it takes to maintain strong, future-proof portfolios in the region.

London's New Bond Street has been crowned the world's most expensive retail destination for the first time, while Budapest's Fashion Street posted the biggest gain in CEE, according to Cushman & Wakefield's Main Streets Across The World report.

The investment panel at the 2025 CEE Property Forum brought together leading dealmakers to examine how the flow of capital into the region is being reshaped by a mix of global uncertainty and local opportunity. Guided by moderator Philipp Zschaler, Managing Partner and Head of the Real Estate Industry Group at Andersen Germany, the discussion moved beyond headline trends to explore how investor profiles, pricing expectations, and cross-border strategies are shifting as markets across Central and Eastern Europe recalibrate.

The financing panel at CEE Property Forum 2025, chaired by Dorota Wysokińska-Kuzdra, Senior Partner and Head of Corporate Finance & Living Services CEE at Colliers, offered a sharp look at how lenders and investors are navigating a more complex capital environment. Rather than revisiting familiar challenges, the discussion focused on the practical shifts reshaping funding strategies across CEE — from the rising cost of debt and the search for liquidity to the evolving role of bonds, banks, and alternative capital sources.

Property Forum is proud to present the second edition of its annual publication, once again celebrating the movers and shakers shaping the constantly evolving CEE real estate market. To access the publication, please click here.

Confidence is returning across CEE real estate markets, with investor sentiment shifting from cautious optimism to execution, according to Colliers. The region continues to demonstrate resilience, supported by moderating inflation, solid household consumption, and strong employment levels.

As CEE moves into a new phase of the real estate cycle, transaction structures, investor behaviour, and regulatory expectations are shifting at pace. Cross-border capital is gradually returning, domestic investors are taking a stronger role, and ESG-driven obligations are reshaping how deals are structured and executed. Against this backdrop, Dr. Erwin Hanslik MRICS, Partner and CEE Head of Real Estate & Construction at Taylor Wessing, shares his perspective on the most important legal, regulatory and market developments influencing real-estate transactions today.