New captain onboard

Mariusz Kozłowski, president of Liebrecht & Wood Polska: I did not plan to change my position so soon. I was more interested in taking a rest and a break from professional work, but I was persuaded to meet the heads of Liebrecht & Wood, whose activity I had been observing for a long period of time. I was impressed by the fact that they were pioneers in some segments, discovering new locations for projects and exiting the investments at the right time. I had a lot of respect for them without even knowing them personally. When we met, it turned out that I liked the prospect of working together, both in terms of personality and work culture. So when I was offered to manage the company’s activities in Poland, I accepted the offer enthusiastically and I have to admit that after just a few months of working here I feel as if I have been here for a long time. There are also challenges. The greatest of them is Centrum Praskie Koneser – in a location which is not obvious in business terms to everyone at this time. It reminds me of the times when I was starting to work at GTC in 2000. Galeria Mokotów was being developed in Służewiec at the time, there was Curtis Plaza and some individual office buildings on ul. Cybernetyki and ul. Bokserska as well as the GTC Mokotów Business Park complex. Apart from those there were some wholesale companies, concrete mixing plants and warehouses – but you could say that the world ended beyond ul. Marynarska. True terra incognita in business terms. In the next few years I saw how an entire, large business district developed from this germ. It seems to me that Koneser could be the kind of project that would create a new trend on the Praga side of the Vistula.

Does your arrival mark the opening of a new chapter in the company’s history?

As the president of the board I will be taking on more and more tasks and gradually unburdening the owners as regards the activity in Poland. Marc Lebbe and Patrick Van Den Bossche can also exchange proven business ideas between the countries the group has been operating in. The team in Poland works efficiently and is very involved in its work, so I do not have any plans in this respect. The company has also built an established brand. I would like to personally add the experience I have gained from the execution of commercial projects at GTC and my relations on the market, which I have been building across various sectors for the last twenty years.

Are other IT companies interested in such locations, apart from Google?

Yes, they are. We are in negotiations, I cannot disclose who with at this time, but there is a great deal of interest from this sector. The campus itself supports the demand for offices in its near vicinity. The start-ups that are finishing their incubation periods in the campus are interested in being close to it. Besides, our tenants include the Museum of Polish Vodka (Pernod Ricard expects to have a footfall of app. 300,000 people per year) and a Damian medical clinic. We are currently in negotiations for an office and retail area of app. 10,000 sqm. This is likely to be concluded in May and will make it possible for us to launch the financing of the project. We are in the final negotiations over the matter with two banks, one of which will eventually be selected.

What stage is the project at?

Work is currently in progress on the construction of the underground car park and restaurants for the building of the Museum of Polish Vodka and the final premises of Campus Warsaw. We will soon be starting the selection process to choose the contractor of the above-ground section of the commercial phase of Koneser. We have also individually – and independently of BBI – bought plots along ul. Nieporęcka, which were originally outside the perimeter of the distillery. The plan is for them to become part of Centrum Praskie Koneser or its continuation. Apartments haven’t been ruled out on the site, and the same goes for offices or a retail section. Everything depends on the needs of the market. The land holds the potential for the development of a useable area of app. 20,000 sqm.

Is there an operator for the hotel in Koneser?

We are in the process of finalising the contract, but I cannot disclose the identity of the operator yet. It is one of the top global brands. This will be the first hotel of the brand in Poland, which we intend to be four-star. We have also applied for a building permit.

Is the company preparing any other projects in Poland apart from Koneser?

Koneser is a very large project and it will certainly absorb most of our activity over the next two years. However, we are planning to purchase land for our subsequent projects.

And what about projects on the left-bank of Warsaw? Or in other cities?

So far we are concentrating on Warsaw and we are not interested in other cities. We also have Flanders Business Park in the city’s Włochy district, which we have been extending. Building ‘C’ is currently at its shell stage. We are planning two more – ‘D’ and ‘E’, which will be similar in size (a total of app. 22,000 sqm). Negotiations are taking place with potential tenants who are looking for energy efficient space and attractive rents.