KD seeks opportunities on real estate market

The chairman and one of the main shareholders of Slovenian KD financial group, considers the Romanian market to be one of the most appealing in the region owing to its size and to tight competition.
KD Group, which has mutual fund management and life insurance operations in Romania, is looking for investment opportunities in the real estate sector. The Slovenian group is about to launch a real estate fund, set to raise around 100 million euros for investments in real estate projects in former Yugoslavian countries, Bulgaria and Romania.
“We’re seeking investment opportunities on the Romanian real estate market and we are getting ready to launch a private capital fund in Slovenia to invest in the real estate sector, in projects that are underway on the markets in the region. At the same time, we plan to launch a second fund, specialising in building use, which will be floated on the capital market,” Matjaz Gantar, KD Group chairman, told Ziarul Financiar.
He also specified the group was looking for a location to build a multiplex-type cinema in Bucharest. KD Group is one of the most important cinema builders and operators in the Balkan region.
Investment management is still the group’s main business. The group in February launched a private investment fund to invest in around 15 companies of the region, with a high growth potential. The main targeted countries are again the former Yugoslavian countries, Bulgaria and Romania.
“We’re not focusing on a certain domain of activity, we are focusing on the region. The fund will invest in 15 companies with a high growth potential, depending on the opportunities that arise. We haven’t earmarked a certain sum for Romania, but we are going to consider the investment opportunities of each country,” explains Gantar.
He says, though, that Romania has an edge on the other countries of the region owing to its much bigger market and to the toughest competition on the market.
“Romania is by far the hottest market in the region because it’s a big country, very appealing for the major European operators in all domains, from the real estate to the banking one(…)” says KD chairman.
KD Group has recently expanded its operations on the Romanian market by launching a brokerage, KD Capital Management, and a life insurance firm, KD Life to complement its asset management business carried out by KD Investments in this country.