Once considered a purely transactional asset class, retail in CEE is rapidly evolving into a platform for experience, community, and brand identity. This shift was at the centre of the discussion at SEE Property Forum 2025, where industry leaders explored how shopping centres are adapting to changing consumer expectations, ESG requirements, and the growing demand for meaningful, multi-use spaces. 

Olympian Parks, owned by Helios Phoenix, has appointed Ana Dumitrache as CEO starting 1st November. The light industrial and logistics platform aims to strengthen its market position and grow towards 500,000 sqm in the medium term by leveraging its existing portfolio and land bank.

iO Partners has launched iO4Land, a digital solution that transforms how land is sourced, analysed, and validated across CEE.

Romanian developer One United Properties has been ranked among Europe’s top 10 long-term growth champions, according to the Financial Times’ FT1000 Long-Term Growth Champions 2025 list, which highlights companies that have achieved exceptional and sustained revenue growth over the past decade.

Romania's construction sector represents nearly 8% of GDP in the past four quarters, the highest share in the European Union, according to Eurostat data analysed by Colliers. This level significantly exceeds the EU-27 average of 5% and confirms construction's growing importance in the local economy. Romania also recorded the second-fastest post-pandemic growth in construction activity within the EU.

Romania's retail sector delivered 186,000 sqm of new shopping centres and retail parks in the first three quarters of 2025, already exceeding the 180,000 sqm delivered across the entire 2024. Developers plan to complete an additional 30,000 sqm by year-end, bringing the total annual supply to approximately 217,000 sqm.

Cluj-based entrepreneur Dorin Bob's company Studium Green has completed the sale of 157,000 sqm of land in Jilava, near Bucharest, to retail group Altex and furniture retailer Mömax, part of Austrian company XXXLutz. The land will be integrated into a larger plot owned by Altex to form the basis for the largest retail park in southern Bucharest. The total value of the transactions between Studium Green and both companies exceeds €17 million.

Colliers has been appointed exclusive consultant for the sale of Haier Tech Europe's factory near Ploiești, Prahova County, following a competitive selection process. The mandate includes representing Haier's interests in identifying potential buyers or end-users from the manufacturing sector.

Romanian developer Prima Development Group has started construction on phase two of the Prima Astera residential complex, the first high-end project in western Bucharest built to nZeb standards. The new phase includes a building with 197 apartments, 234 parking spaces and a kindergarten with over 600 sqm of usable space for future residents' children and neighbourhood families. The gross development value for phase two amounts to €30 million, with delivery estimated for November 2027.

The hotel sector across South-Eastern Europe is evolving beyond its post-pandemic rebound. At SEE Property Forum 2025 in Bucharest, industry leaders agreed that while the “revenge travel” wave has subsided, the market remains on a strong footing—driven by solid fundamentals, new investment opportunities, and rising traveller expectations. What comes next, they noted, will be defined less by recovery and more by adaptation: sustainability, conversions, and smarter capital deployment are now shaping the region’s hotel landscape.