CW|VB Explains Decision to Co-Organize Batumi 2015 Investment Forum

Interview with Tom Day, Regional Director of Hospitality Services & Investor Services.

At what point did Cushman & Wakefield | Veritas Brown (CW|VB) decide to be the co-organizer of the investment forum Batumi 2015?

CW|VB is one of the first commercial real estate services firms both in Georgia and the region. Since entering the Georgian market in 2012, we have provided an extensive range of commercial real estate services with the global network behind us to suit all our clients’ needs such as: Investor Services, Leasing, Sales and Acquisitions, Equity, Debt Structured Finance, Corporate Finance and Investment Banking, Corporate Services, Property Management, Facilities Management, Project Management, Consulting and Appraisal, Valuation & Advisory and Research.

We firmly believe that Georgia is on track to be recognized as the service, legal and financial hub for doing business in the region, with numerous International businesses registering their headquarters in the country and managing their regional operations out of Georgia. Thus we, CW|VB, in our field of business and in coordination with the government, local and international financial institutions, and public and private funds, are striving to promote the country’s investment opportunities and assist in growing the local and regional real estate market.

The Batumi Forum will give an opportunity for high–level interactions between local and foreign investors, regional and central government representatives and business organizations. Georgia’s investment projects, investment climate characteristics and the conditions for the commercial real estate sector will be also introduced.

Is this your first common project with the Georgian National Investment Agency?

Our collaboration with the GNIA goes back to 2012, the year of our entry into the Georgian market. Since then we’ve worked together on numerous projects including the most recent event in May 2015, when we co-organized the ‘Invest in Georgian Real Estate’ forum in London. The London investor gatheringshowed definite success and Georgia demonstrated itself to be an opportunistic market for investment, and gained further international recognition.

At this moment, with simplified company registration procedures, liberalized manufacturing regulations, tax and legislative benefits and a positive approach to foreign investors, Georgia is a very attractive country to invest in and I hope that this specific and other similar forums will drive the country to meaningful business deals and further economic success.

As far as I know, you are going to be one of the speakers at the forum. What are the subjects you are planning to talk about?

The agenda is very interesting and is available on the forum website. There will be welcoming speeches from the Prime Minister of Georgia, the Minister of Economy and Sustainable Development of Georgia, the Chairmen of Government of Adjara A.R. and the Minister of Finance and Economy of Adjara A.R.. With the representatives of governmental and business sectors we are planning to make presentations about different investment opportunities and climate in the country and similarly we will speak about our Success Stories in the Georgian commercial real estate market.

What do you think investors are looking for?

Real estate investments take a great deal of time and a considerable amount of money. Finding the right project or asset that produces the required return can be challenging for even an inexperienced investor. The key areas that successful real estate investors focus on depend on the investor’s goals and attitudes to risk versus return.

Against the background of the economic crisis in the region, 2014 proved to be successful in terms of investment, with foreign direct investment increasing by 87% year on year compared to 2013. According to preliminary assessments, 2015 is deemed to show an even better growth tendency.

The opportunities and investment packages to be presented on 18th of September 2015 in Batumi will be of interest to regional investors.

And finally, why do clients choose CW|VB?

We assist clients in transforming strategy into action and we create the value-added service they are looking for. We aim to maximize their return on investments and we provide effective, innovative, high quality and cost effective commercial real estate solutions through the Cushman & Wakefield global network.

We believe that the best outcomes are achieved through close collaboration and the feedback that we are receiving in respect of our professionalism; integrity, reputation, confidentiality and our ethics show that clients are positive about their long-term cooperation.

I can say that in commercial real estate, CW|VB are confidently global and expertly local.

http://veritasbrown.com