EuropaProperty has successfully completed its 8th annual CEE Investment Awards at the Intercontinental Hotel in Warsaw, Poland. The awards gala was heralded a great success, and was well received by all the winners and their guests.
The awards ceremony looked fantastic, and was once again witnessed by a select group of around 350 senior European and Central European real estate professionals; affirming the event’s status as a true landmark event for the investment sector.
Globalworth, Griffin Real Estate, CBRE Global Investors and Atrium European Real Estate were this year’s big winners, collecting multiple awards across all the main investment categories. CPI Property Group, Europa Capital, Bluehouse Capital, and GVA Polska also walked away with some of the big prizes.
Griffin Real Estate was deemed this year’s best Overall Investor largely on the back of its record breaking transactions, the highlight of which was the M1 deal – an acquisition of a portfolio of 28 retail properties from funds managed by Ares Management L.P., AXA Investment Managers – Real Assets and Apollo Rida. The value of the deal was around €1 billion. Griffin Real Estate acted as transaction manager, co-investor and co-manager of Chariot Top Group BV, a company incorporated in the Netherlands.
Globalworth was recognised by the jury for its successful entry into the Polish market. The investor collected four awards including Office and Value-Add Investor and for acquiring the Spektrum Tower in the Investment Deal €100 million + category and in the Mega Deal category for acquiring a 71.7 percent stake in the entity known at the time as Griffin Premium Real Estate.
Atrium European Real Estate was recognised as Retail Investor for its renewed acquisition strategy throughout the region, and its recent purchase of Wars Sawa Junior in Warsaw for around €301 million. Atrium also picked up the Core Investor prize.
Investment recognition also went to CBRE Global Investors as Warehouse Investor and Investment Asset Management Firm. Bluehouse Capital was awarded Core+ Investor and CPI Property Group was recognised for its acquisition of HopStop’s retail parks portfolio in Poland. Europa Capital was awarded as Opportunistic Investor, and was also celebrated for its disposal of Plac Malachowskiego in Warsaw to Generali Real Estate.
Helaba’s Martin Erbe was named this year’s Industry Professional. Helaba ranks among Europe’s leading banks and is one of the CEE region’s largest and most successful lenders, with an estimated €2 billion in assets financed across the region.
pbb Deutsche Pfandbriefbank was voted this year’s Bank of the Year. The specialist bank was recognised for its core business of lending and the important role it plays in supplying credit to the real estate industry.
Panattoni Europe collected the Warehouse Development of the Year award for their Fulfilment Center for Amazon in Poland. Olivia Business Centre’s Olivia Prime in Gdansk was voted Office Project of the Year. The recently developed office complex was deemed by the Jurors to be the best example of a leading Class A office development as well as accentuate the strength of Poland’s secondary cities. Other developments recognised by the awards included the completely refurbished Hotel Europejski by HESA in Poland.
AFI Europe, a leading real estate development and investment company operating in CEE and focusing on the development of large-scale commercial projects, took the Office Developer of the Year award, after being recognised by the Jury for its continued successful sustainable-development model across the region.
Accentuating the strength and interest in the region’s investment sector, were the Investment Brokerage and Investment Broker Awards. Michal Cwiklinski from GVA won the Investment Broker of the Year, and JLL once again walked away with the Investment Brokerage Firm award. The Local Agency award went to Nuvalu.
Another personal award was handed out to First Property’s Emilia Załoga for Property Manager of the Year. CBRE was awarded Property Management Firm of the Year and Gleeds walked away with the Project Management Firm award.
Further company awards went to GVA Polska for Professional Service Provider, TPA was once again voted this year’s best Tax and Financial Adviser, and First Title was voted the best Title Insurance Provider.
Other industry winners included, Dentons as Law Firm, Kajima as Construction Firm and SPIE for Facility Management Firm. Hotel Professionals was awarded Hotel Advisory of the Year, InterContinental Hotels Group won Hotel Operator of the Year and Wroclaw picked up the City of the Year award.
On behalf of our sponsors, judges and attendees, we offer our congratulations to all the winners. Foundations are already in place for next year’s event, which promises to be even better.
The ninth annual CEE Investment Awards will be held on October 24th, 2019.
