EXPO REAL 2007 – Spotlight on exciting property markets

Germany: Leading international property experts come together at EXPO REAL in Munich, from 8 to 10 October • Real Estate Investors Guide: from Great Britain, France and Italy to the Baltic, Turkey, the US and India • Cross-border property investment to reach record levels in 2007

Cross-border property investment is set to reach a new record level in 2007. According to estimates by DEGI Research around 390 billion US dollars are to be invested directly in commercial real estate over the year. Jones Lang LaSalle puts the figure for 2006 at around 201 billion US dollars. International investment and investment locations are an important theme at EXPO REAL, the 10th International Commercial Property Exposition, which takes place from 8 to 10 October 2007 in Munich. In the INVESTMENT & LOCATIONS FORUM at EXPO REAL leading real-estate and business experts will be presenting property markets, investment strategies and current projects in selected countries – from the classic European property markets such as Great Britain, France and Italy, through to the Baltic states, Turkey, the US and India. A special focus of the Real Estate Investors Guide at EXPO REAL are the markets of south and south-eastern Europe.

On Monday, 8 October 2007, from 11 to 11.50 a.m. Hungary will be in the spotlight. The German company ECE is regarded as the European market leader in the development of inner-city shopping centres. Gyula Gyalay-Korpos, Managing Director of the Budapest office, will be giving first-hand insight into the potential of the Hungarian real-estate market. In 2006 in Hungary ECE received the real estate prize of a trade magazine (‘Construction & Investment Journal’) for the shopping gallery in Györ, nominated as the best shopping-centre development of the year. International property consultants King Sturge is already active in Hungary. James Kinnel, Group Managing Director in Budapest, will be reporting on his company´s activities in Hungary. As part of their expansion in eastern Europe, King Sturge recently opened offices in the Slovak Republic and Croatia. Other experts in the discussion sessions include: lawyer Dr Thomas Brandstätter from Cerha-Hempel-Spiegelfeld-Hlawati lawyers in Vienna and Dr Marcus Cieleback, Head of Research at Eurohypo AG in Eschborn.

From 3 to 3.50 p.m. on Monday, 8 October, the Real Estate Investors Guide then turns its attention to Romania. International investors are looking around for attractive alternatives in that country at the moment. Interest has focused so far on the capital Bucharest, but increasingly investors are also reviewing other regional centres such as Cluj, Brasov and Constanta. Timisoara in the west of the country is the fastest developing city in Romania, after Bucharest. However, the growing interest from international property investors in Romania is not matched by a supply of suitable properties. Karl Bier, Director of UBM Realitätenentwicklung AG in Vienna, lets and sells property mainly in central and eastern Europe. Since 2006 UBM has had its own offices in Romania. As well as office, hotel and logistics property, UBM is increasingly focusing on the construction of well equipped residential units in these markets of the future. The company stepped up its cross-border investment considerably last year – UBM´s investment volume rose by 93.5 percent to 74.9 million euros. In addition the following experts will also be taking part in the market presentation on Romania: Claudius Ferentz, Head of the Romanian representation of Investkredit Bank AG in Vienna, Dan Ghibernea, Country Manager Romania from TriGranit in Bucharest and Sebastian Gutiu, Partner, Schoenherr şi Asociaţii SCA in Bucharest.

Ukraine will be represented at EXPO REAL 2007 for the first time – both as an exhibitor and in the conference programme. On Tuesday, 9 October 2007, from 4 to 4.50 p.m., the spotlight will be on the real-estate market in Europe´s largest country by area. With almost 50 million people and seven major cities, Ukraine has become a large market for international companies. Clemens Lehr, Managing Director of GLD Invest Ukraine in Kiev, will be presenting his successful real-estate projects in the Ukraine. One example is Eastgate, a logistics park at the gates of Kiev. The expertise acquired in this project will now flow into the next project – Westgate, on the opposite side of town. The Austrian real-estate group GLD Invest develops office blocks, logistics buildings, shopping centres and hotels in central and eastern Europe. Additional information on the Ukrainian market will be given at this event by: lawyer Timur Bondaryev from Arzinger & Partner in Kiev and the head of the CBRE office in Kiev, Radomir Tsurkan.

openPR - 2007-08-28