Successful transactions in the living sector have prompted Colliers to separate a new business line – Living Services – from the services offered so far by the Corporate Finance department. The new line will focus exclusively on projects in the living sector and will be offered to clients operating not only in Poland but in the entire CEE region.
The corporate finance department has thus expanded its scope of activities, which now include: supporting clients with strategic advice and establishing investment platforms, obtaining various forms of financing (debt, equity and fundraising), and all transactions in the living sector. Experienced experts also support clients at every stage of building investment platforms in all classes/types of assets: living, office, warehouse, industrial, and various types of retail and mixed-use schemes, hotels, as well as data centres, life science and a new real estate sector based on modular construction.
Opening a new business line required changes in the structure of the department, thus Dorota Wysokińska-Kuzdra was appointed Head of Corporate Finance and Living Services for Central and Eastern Europe.
“Dorota and her team have completed a number of transactions in the widely-understood residential market. Recently we have had the pleasure to work on some of the largest transactions in the PRS market, advising the Crestyl/Cornerstone consortium and YIT in the development of the residential for rent platforms. We advise a number of developers and investors in transactions and support them in acquiring financing in the living sector. The expansion of Dorota’s functions and the establishment of the Living Services line is a sealing of the last several months’ activities,” said Monika Rajska-Wolińska, CEO of Colliers in CEE.
Newly hired Michał Witkowski has been appointed Head of Living Services – the new business line. His responsibilities will include expansion of residential real estate services for Colliers’ clients – from advisory and support in conducting the living sector projects (including residential for rent (PRS), student housing (PBSA), senior housing, and also residential for sale), through business development, to asset management, including leasing and sales on behalf of investors and developers. Michał has a wealth of experience in the real estate market, gained while being Partner, Business Development Director at Platinum Group; Sales, Customer Care, Marketing & Communication Director and Board Member at Skanska Residential Development in Poland, as well as Sales and Marketing Director at Atlas Estates Polska. He is also a Lecturer at the University of Gdańsk, Postgraduate Studies on Real Estate Management and Development.
“I am very pleased to welcome such an experienced expert as Michał to the team. Under his management, we want to consolidate and combine a wide range of advisory services in the living sector, which go beyond traditional transactional consulting. At Colliers, clients will receive a ‘one-stop-shop solution’ – we provide data, analysis, transactional well as asset management support. Such a comprehensive approach in the field of living is nowadays highly desirable and sought after by clients, as the interest in the residential market in the entire CEE region has recently increased significantly. Warsaw can be perceived as one of the most important developing markets in Europe for this type of investment. Due to the strong economic growth of Warsaw and the social changes taking place there, the PRS market is clearly expanding, and the number of foreign investors interested in this segment is growing,” said Dorota Wysokińska-Kuzdra, Senior Partner, Head of Corporate Finance and Living Services, CEE, Colliers.
Across the CEE region, we can see a growing number of investments in the living sector, which are expected to be completed in the next few years. Certainly, Poland and Czechia are witnessing the fastest upward trend – in Poland, there are already over 6,000 units existing and over 13,500 units under construction, which is the most dynamic growth in the region. Czechia, on the other hand, is the leader in the supply of PRS in Central and Eastern Europe with nearly 57,000 units, while construction of another 3,800 units is planned.
“I have been active on the residential advisory market for years and I am convinced that my experience will significantly contribute to making Colliers the first choice for clients when it comes to this type of advisory, asset management and other services on this market. I am glad that my knowledge will serve both the clients already active in this sector and new ones who want to actively participate in its development,” said Michał Witkowski, Head of Living Services, Colliers.
