All roads led to the Eurobuild Awards 2014 gala on December 4th, 2014

The character of the Eurobuild Awards night was quite different but the emotions were equally strong. This was all the more understandable given the fact that during the evening of December 4th the real estate players in Central and Eastern Europe selected and celebrated the best projects, companies and outstanding individuals of the past year. And it was a good year for the industry, which – as was also widely emphasised by the property market representatives present – provided hope that the sector would be even stronger next year, not just in Poland but also in other countries of the region such as Romania and Hungary. The Eurobuild Awards 2014 winners, selected by an independent jury and tenants themselves, received statuettes for the best office, retail, logistics and hotel buildings. For some of the winners it was the second, the third, or even the fourth

Eurobuild Award in a row. This, for instance, was the case for JLL’s investment department responsible for Central and Eastern Europe, which has been among the winners every year since the very beginning of the Eurobuild Awards [the first edition did not include the best CEE investment agency team of the year category]. At the same time, Kielce's Galeria Echo achieved the highest score among all the operational Polish shopping centres nominated for the second time in a row, while its director, Grzegorz Czekaj, was once again chosen as the best retail facility manager of the year. Also, Panattoni Europe added a new trophy to its award cabinet by winning its fourth ever Eurobuild Award statuette for the best

CEE warehouse developer of the year. The Pekao bank, which was named the best financial institution of the year for the fourth time running, also seemed to be unrivalled. [The winner of this category in the first edition of Eurobuild Awards was Westimmo]. This year, a few new bests were achieved. Dentons (formerly Salans), which had been selected as the best Polish law firm of the year for the past four years, but was this time outperformed by the CMS law firm. Skanska

Commercial Development Europe remained undefeated in the best CEE green developer of the year category. Also, representatives of Spie (formerly Hochtief Facility Management) once again took the first position in the the best facility management company of the year category. “The fifth Eurobuild Awards competition, which recognised the most outstanding companies and projects on the market, and named the best experts of the commercial real estate sector is now behind us. We would like to thank all the participants, jury members and sponsors for their involvement in the event and congratulate all the winners. Next year’s Eurobuild Awards edition will undergo a facelift to offer an entirely new format,” says Katarzyna Matejuk, Eurobuild Awards' director. Everybody was in good spirits on the gala night thanks to the number of attractions laid on. The Warsaw Hilton hotel has turned out to be just the right place to establish and sustain business contacts, providing a great atmosphere for more informal talks and meetings. There was also a fantastic opportunity for the participants to listen to live music and prove themselves on the dance floor, as Ray Wilson performed a special concert on the stage. The last guests of the Eurobuild Awards gala left the venue in high spirits at 5 am. Partnered by the famous TV presenter Maciej Orłoś, Gala host Ewa Andrzejewska, the editor-in-chief of ‘Eurobuild CEE’, lit up the stage as she was in a stunning dress by Joanna Cieplewska. And that’s all from us for another year. And what do the latest winners think about the Eurobuild Awards? Find out over the next few pages. ν

New Retailer of the Year, Poland

CityFit

Nicholas Moses, CEO of CityFit

Why do you think CityFit won the new retailer of the year Award?

CityFit is performing true to its beliefs and to the goals we set out when we were starting the company. We are honest, we are transparent, we provide good value, and that surely speaks to everybody who comes and does business with us.

What do you think 2015 holds for the entire sector?

I think there will be a change to the market, which will result in benefits for people who want to work out in Poland. Right from the beginning, CityFit said that we planned on changing the landscape of the Polish fitness market. We have already done that, we are going to continue to do that. We are going make people change. And people will need to change, if they want to survive on the market.

What do you think about the Eurobuild Awards?

They're fantastic! My first time here, so I have to come back again!

New Shopping Centre of the Year, Poland

Galeria Warmińska

Lech Chudy, the president of the board at Libra Project, the developer of Galeria Warmińska in Olsztyn

What will 2015 be like for the retail sector?

Well-leased and well-located centres will prosper well while enjoying great interest from both tenants and customers. The market in Poland is already quite saturated, including smaller towns. Olsztyn was probably the last town in Poland with a population of nearly 200,000 sqm which did not have any large shopping centre. The growing competition we have seen on the market over the last few years will no longer have such influence on the existing centres. In addition, the avarage income for Poland has been growing at stable rate. There is also growing demand for luxury products, , which is why this year will probably be determined by stabilisation and the offer and cost optimisation.

How do you assess the latest Eurobuild Awards edition?

The gala was extraordinary. It was a grand-scale event at the world-class level. We congratulate all the winners. It’s good that we have so many professionals in our sector in Poland.

How do you assess the latest Eurobuild Awards edition?

The gala was extraordinary. It was a grand-scale event at the world-class level. We congratulate all the winners. It’s good that we have so many professionals in our sector in Poland.

Retail Agency Team of the Year, Poland

Cushman & Wakefield

Marek Noetzel, partner, head of  the retail department, Cushman & Wakefield Poland

How do you feel about winning the Eurobuild Awards 2014? Why do you think you deserve the Award?

This is a significant award for us. The award confirms that our clients appreciate our work. Currently, we carry out projects with a total of app. 350,000 sqm gla. In 2014, our department financed over 350 transitions. We are involved in the projects that are currently being developed, while working on the commercialisation of four shopping centres that opened in 2014. We continue to work for tenants and we are taking on more and more advisory work. I think this sealed our victory in Eurobuilds Awards 2014..

Do you think 2015 will be a good year for your company and the entire sector?

According to all the analyses and predictions for 2015, this should be a good year for our economy. The condition of the industry we represent depends on the condition of the local economy. I can see a lot of opportunities for the industry in 2015. But we also have to keep in mind that there are some threats as well, such as political tensions in Eastern Europe, which translates into a growing aversion to risk taking. In Poland, the general elections will take place this place so the political scene could look completely different in a year’s time. In short, we can expect an interesting year.

Do you also expect to be a winner in 2015?

I really look forward to win in 2015. I expect this year to be equally busy for us as the last year, since three shopping centres we are involved in are scheduled to open in 2015. Our department and the entire company continues to grow and I am convinced that this will not be overlooked by the industry and we will win again.

Tax & Financial Consultancy of the Year, Poland

EY

Katarzyna Twarowska, EY Poland's director and assurance leader of the company's real estate group in CSE region

Michał Thedy, leader of EY Poland’s real estate tax consultancy in CSE region

Anna Kicińska, EY Poland's partner and leader of the company's real estate group in CSE region

What do you think 2015 will bring?

Given the number and scale of the projects that are currently undergoing due diligence and the increased investors’ interest in the Polish real estate market, we expect 2015 to bring even better results in terms of the number of concluded transactions and the volume of the invested capital. Positive forecasts have also been made for other countries in Central and Southern Europe (CSE), where we have been observing stable growth in investment interest. The dynamic development of Grupa Rynku Nieruchomości EY, which has been thriving in Poland and the CSE region, is also confirmation of the good business climate.

How do you assess your competitors in the Eurobuild Awards 2014 competition?

It is an honour for us to be among the nominees and to come out as the winners. We are grateful for the trust placed in us by the jury members. We must also thank our competitors for setting such benchmark, which strengthened our belief that it was worth taking part in the competition. We are happy to win, however, this also motivates us to perform even better in 2015.

Warehouse Agency Team of the Year, Poland

Colliers International

Tomasz Kasperowicz, partner, warehouse and logistics department, Colliers International Poland

What will 2015 be like for the commercial real estate industry?

The warehouse property market holds a great potential. New warehouses with a total area of over 700,000 sqm were built in Poland this year. In Q3 alone, the number reached 400,000 sqm. Next year we expect to see a growth in conditional preliminary contracts. Meanwhile, the share of speculative transactions on the market will stand at a moderate level.

How do you assess the latest Eurobuild Awards?

This edition of Eurobuild Awards was unique for us because our department has received for the fourth time in a row the Award for the Polish warehouse team of the year. I believe this is a significant event for the commercial real estate market in Poland and Central and Eastern Europe. First of all, because it shows who the leaders and what the main trends on the market are. It is also an ideal networking opportunity for people from our sector.

Will you re-enter the competition in the future?

The Awards are an obligation for us to make further progress. Currently, we an over 50-pct share in lease transactions on the Polish warehouse market, but we have an appetite for more. We will certainly take part in the 2015 competition.

The Best Performance on the Warsaw Stock Exchange – Developer

Echo Investment

Waldemar Lesiak, vice-president of the management board, Echo Investment

How do you feel about winning an Eurobuild Award?

Receiving this award is of course a source of great satisfaction. We are particularly proud of the victory because we have won in this category for the third time in a row. This award constitutes an additional incentive for Echo’s entire team to continue to improve the effectiveness of our activities and, by doing so, increase the shareholders' value.

Do you think 2015 will be a year for your comapany and the entire sector?

In 2015 we will have to confront a very competitive market environment. Our investment programme is intensive but also very carefully planned. We will carry out commercial and residential projects in Warsaw and some of the biggest regional markets. Echo has got a very good team of specialists who are able to manage the entire investment process while cooperating with external partners to ensure the best quality of the final product. We like challenges and that is why we approach all the new projects and tasks they involve with enthusiasm.

Do you also expect to win the Eurobuild Awards 2015 competition as well?

The competition is strong, so we will have to make the maximum effort in order to win again. Only time will tell whether we manage to accomplish this feat for the fourth time in a row...

The Best Performance on the Warsaw Stock Exchange – Construction Company

Budimex

Krzysztof Kozioł, director of the external communications office, Budimex

What are your impressions from the latest Eurobuild Awards gala and how did you manage to win the award?

It was an impressive event in terms of the scale. It was a pleasant meeting for people from the industry, particularly those who won an award. We have won the prize thanks to the efforts of Budimex's employees and our satisfied clients. Today, we see the fruits of the work of many years.

What will 2015 be like for the sector?

Compared to the last few years, 2015 will be a good year for the construction industry, which is now recovering. The companies are now rebuilding their positions. There are new contracts on the market, related to the new EU programmes supporting towns, regions, the Polish State Railways and the General Directorate of National Roads and Motorways projects. The market will see a considerable growth in materials and labour in 2016–2017.

Do you think you could also be a winner in 2015?

We do not stand still and we will even be better next year. So we do believe that we will be among the winners again.

Retail Developer of the Year, CEE

Atrium European Real Estate

Scott Dwyer, CEO of Atrium European Real Estate Poland

What will the real estate market landscape look like in 2015?

QE and effective negative interest rates will take their toll, together with the wall of freshly raised capital all lead to good capital market liquidity and pricing in 2015.

How did you find the Eurobuild Awards 2014?

The Eurobuild Awards night has really established itself as one of THE real estate events of the year.

Is AERE planning to enter the Eurobuild Awards in 2015?

Yes, you will find AERE with a table again next year.

Office Developer of the Year, CEE

HB Reavis

Marcel Sedlak, member of the board, HB Reavis Group

What will the real estate market look like in 2015?

Looking at the markets we operate in, we will witness continued positive dynamics in London, Budapest and Bratislava. In Warsaw and Prague, the strong supply will start to decrease by the end of the year. But the solid performance of the national economies – if there is no external shock, of course – will translate into continued healthy leasing activity. From our group’s strategic perspective, to be present on several office markets that are in different “property clock” phases is a strong stabilising factor. Overall, we are looking into 2015 with optimism.

What did you feel about the latest Eurobuild Awards?

Over the years the Eurobuild Awards have become a highlight in the real estate sector’s annual agenda and the latest event has only confirmed that, bringing together top sector players and professionals. Of course, for us it was an  excellent evening. Receiving the statuette for the best CEE office developer of the year is a great achievement and a sign of recognition for our more than 400 professionals.

Is HB Reavis planning to enter the Eurobuild Awards in 2015?

Currently HB Reavis is developing seven projects, including the 33 Central project in London. These represent 235,000 sqm gla under construction and an estimated gross development value of more than EUR 920 mln in total. Looking at these numbers, HB Reavis is currently one of the most active developers in the region. With such robust activity, we are already very much looking forward to the 6th Eurobuild Awards.

Investment Agency Team of the Year, CEE

JLL

Agata Sekuła, head of retail investment CEE, JLL

How do you feel about winning the Eurobuild Awards?

First of all, I would like to thank all our clients for their trust and fruitful, long-term cooperation, as well as the jury members for recognising our activities. Their results are evident looking at the transactions, and also in the way we conduct our projects. It is worth noting that JLL won the best CEE retail investment agency award for the fourth time in a row, that is, in every annual Eurobuild Awards competition that featured the category. This means that we continue to maintain our top level standard at all times. I think that clients appreciate this kind of predictability and stability – our team, which is constantly growing, has been working for them for many years, presenting the highest level of services, professionalism and involvement into the carried out investment projects. The award comes as the result of our hard every day work at each stage of the transaction process, not only when the process is being finalised.

Will 2015 be a good year for your company and the entire sector?

2015 will be a very good year for the entire commercial real estate market in Central and Eastern Europe. We have been observing a rapid growth in investors' interest in real estate assets across all sectors and locations.

Do you also expect to win at the Eurobuild Awards in 2015?

We expect to see a lot of investment activity both in sales and purchases in 2015. We will make every effort to continue to provide top quality services for our clients. We hope that 2015 will be a fruitful time, first of all for our clients, and as a result, also for us.

Warehouse Developer of the Year, CEE

Panattoni Europe

Robert Dobrzycki, managing partner of Panattoni Europe

How do you feel about winning the Eurobuild Awards 2014?

First of all, I have to say that 2014 was good for us, not only in terms of the number of projects completed but also the awards received – we have won as many as nine of them, were named developer of the year three times in 2014 and have received two Eurobuild Awards, which are among the most important prizes for us. I think, and in fact, I hope that the assessment by the independent jury members referred to the company’s presence on the market, the scope of its operations and reputation. They certainly took into consideration the leasing data as well as the number, size, variety and significance of projects carried out by Panattoni. In 2013, we signed lease contracts for a total of 646,000 sqm of space, including the Amazon transaction – a record for the CEE region. As a result we now have a 34 pct market share.

Do you think 2015 will be a good or bad year for you and your sector?

I am optimistic and I believe that the demand for warehouse and industrial space will still be very high. Of course, it will be difficult to repeat the 2014 results. Nevertheless, Poland is attracting much interest among business in the West. As a country we are economically competitive and at the same time we are safe – moving production plants and operations that require a lot of staff from the West helps the Polish market. Over the last few months, we have noted an evolution of the warehouse market in Poland towards e-commerce. This method of trading is gaining popularity, which has been proved by Amazon. The balance of power in Europe has resulted in Poland becoming a warehouse and production backroom for the export-based German economy.

Do you expect to also win the competition in 2015?

If I were to forecast our victory next year’s today, I could be suspected of corruption. However, this will of course depend on Panattoni’s results. Like any developer, I hope for the firm’s victory next year and I can only promise myself to work hard in order to achieve this success.

Green Developer of the Year, CEE

Skanska Commercial Development Europe

Piotr Srokosz, senior property manager,

Skanska Property Poland

What do you think about the Eurobuild Awards 2014?

I am surprised by the scale of the interest and such a large number of guests. I did not see so much interest in previous years, so I am very happy about that. However, it is a great achievement for Eurobuild.

Do you think 2015 will be a good or bad year for you and your sector?

2015 will be full of challenges, particularly for the Warsaw market. There is a lot of activity here, particularly in office construction, which I originate from and so... I am waiting for the challenges to come this year.

Are you going to enter the Eurobuild Awards in 2015?

Of course, we will be participating next year. We enter the competition every year and we win awards every year. We will of course also win next year. I am convinced about that.

Best Warehouse of the Year, CEE region

Goodman Wrocław South Logistics Centre – BTS for Amazon

Mathieu Giguere, head of Polish real estate, Amazon Poland (on behalf of Goodman)

What do you think about the Eurobuild Awards 2014 gala? How do you feel about winning the competition?

It was a great pleasure for me to accept the Award for the best industrial project of the year. I would like once again to congratulate our partner, Goodman, which is the developer and owner of the winning project in Wrocław, and all my colleagues at Amazon, who have worked tremendously hard to deliver all three nominated projects this year. The gala was definitely a great opportunity for us to celebrate the past year’s achievements and to continue building the foundations of the industry for Amazon’s future developments in the region.