Reale Finalises Purchase Of Sabadell’s HQ In Madrid

11 June 2015 – El Confidencial

The building at number 125, Calle Príncipe de Vergara, one of the most important thoroughfares in Madrid, is about to change hands. Sabadell opened a competitive process for the sale, which is about to come to an end, with Reale as the favourite to seal the deal.

The insurance company, which is being advised by Inmospace, has submitted a bid for more than €45 million, compared with the asking price of €40 million that was set at the beginning of the process. This figure virtually makes Realia the sure-fire winner in a deal that has attracted interest from up to eight bidders, according to sources close the deal.

The other interested parties include other insurance companies, such as Plus Ultra, although, unless there is a last minute surprise, Reale will end up signing the definitive agreement with Sabadell within the next two or three weeks.

This timetable matches the one being managed by the Catalan entity for its relocation to a new headquarters in Las Tablas, a process that will begin in July and will be carried out in several stages, in a phased way. Once completed, Reale will establish its new headquarters in Príncipe de Vergara.

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Solvia transaction

Solvia, the real estate subsidiary of the Catalan entity, has led this whole process, which has not required any external advisors. It has culminated in the reorganisation of the properties and headquarters that the bank has carried out recently.

Last year, Sabadell was one of the major players in the real estate office market in Madrid, thanks to the sale of Vodafone’s new headquarters, an office complex measuring 50,000 m2, to the British fund London & Regional for €117 million and with the commitment of the telecommunications operator to continue as the tenant.

In parallel, the entity reached an agreement with Vodafone to acquire its former headquarters, located in the neighbourhood of Las Tablas, an area in which firms such as Telefónica, BBVA and FCC have also chosen to locate their headquarters. This move, which many industry experts viewed very positively, was also orchestrated by Solvia, the real estate company led by Javier García del Río.

With capacity for 1,500 people, all of Sabadell’s central services will move to this new headquarters in the North of Madrid, with exception of its territorial operations, which will remain in Calle Velázquez, and its private banking division, which will continue in Calle Serrano. The Presidency will also remain in Calle Serrano, which accommodates both the Chairman, Josep Oliu, and the CEO, Jaime Guardiola, when they are in the capital.

Original story: El Confidencial (by Ruth Ugalde)

Translation: Carmel Drake