It is no exaggeration to say that Anchor Group has been a kind of trend setter with the first Mall built on this market and also with some residential projects. How would you assess the experience of these 20 years of activity in Romania?
The fact that, even after so many years since our entrance on the Romanian market, we still make history here shows what a positive experience this has been, one that made us strive to deliver better services to our clients. Back when we inaugurated Bucuresti Mall, we were alone on this market. We didn’t have any competition, so our way was the only way of doing business. Once the market opened, we challenged ourselves to be the best for our clients. Many years later, our portfolio – made up of businesses in the retail, residential and office building sectors – confirms that we are one of the most notable players in real estate.
What is the total investment made so far in Romania? And what’s next?
Anchor Group has invested over 350 million euros in the projects we developed in Romania. We intend to keep on investing as we are dealing with a mature and sophisticated market, with an accelerated growth that puts Romania ahead of all the other countries in the region. The demands of our tenants and clients become more and more refined and we’re committed to continue to cater to them and even surprise them with the quality of our services and products.
How has the real estate market in Romania evolved in this lapse of time since Anchor Group’s arrival here?
It has changed a great deal over these years, but even then there were signs that indicated such a swift progress. Our advantage has always been an in-depth knowledge of this market. For instance, we anticipated the ascending trend insofar as office buildings were concerned: in 2016 there was an increase of 500% in office spaces as compared to the previous year. Therefore, we invested in Plaza Romania Offices, being the first player to do an office space within a mall, creating benefits for our tenants’ employees. The access they have to all the products, facilities and services Plaza Romania has to offer, gives us a unique competitive advantage over any other office building in Bucharest; that is important in the context in which, nowadays, most companies choose office spaces with medium rent and they seem to lose interest in buildings with lower rent.
How does Anchor Group intend to take advantage of the current potential of the real estate market in Romania?
Just as we did so far. We always do our research, we are in tune with our clients’ needs, demands and tastes, we anticipate trends and we add a little extra to what we think our audience might want. Right now, we know that our customers do not want only a simple office space, an apartment or a retail area. Those who want an office space want benefits, flexibility in the customization of that space and several extra options. Those who want an apartment also need a sense of community, access to competitive services and facilities and an environment where they can make a home for themselves. Those who want a retail space want one that is up to date, hip and trendy, ready to accommodate their customers, but also inviting in new customers and able to highlight their products.