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Pontegadea: Global Political Uncertainty May Impact RE

30 January 2017 – Expansión

Speaking last Thursday (26 January), Roberto Cibeira, CEO at Pontegadea – Amancio Ortega’s investment vehicle – highlighted the “significant uncertainty” that exists in the real estate sector regarding the UK’s exit from the European Union. “Depending on what Brexit looks like, the economy will evolve, along with the demand for space. Companies are being very cautious”, said the Director, who was participating in the Third Real Estate Meeting, organized by the IESE.

The UK is one of the top five most important countries for Pontegadea on the basis of turnover; it accounts for a significant proportion of the firm’s business. “London is London, it is always going to be there. We are hopeful and are waiting for opportunities to invest”, said Cibeira, who indicated that the company will continue to focus on the countries in which it already has a presence (Spain, USA, Canada, Mexico, France, UK, Italy, Portugal and South Korea), although growing in Asia “is also a possibility”.

Moreover, the Director said that Pontegadea’s debut on the stock market “goes without saying”, although he did not want to comment further and said that the real estate market in Spain is characterised by three features: “A shortage of supply, a lot of overseas investors and a great deal of competition”.

The Trump Administration

Pontegadea’s CEO was guarded in his comments regarding Donald Trump’s arrival at the White House. “If the country’s economy performs well, then it will be good for everyone. People are still waiting to find out about Trump’s economic policies. The decrease in taxes is good for companies operating in the US and is regarded as a good thing in the short term”, he said.

Regarding the real estate market in the country, the Director said that “it is beginning to explode. But that there has to be a limit to these rent hikes”. The words of Cibeira relate specifically to the rents for stores on Fifth Avenue in New York, where rental prices have risen to $5 million/year per 100 m2.

Original story: Expansión

Translation: Carmel Drake