Savills IM appoints new head of Poland

Savills Investment Management (“Savills IM”), the international real estate investment manager, has appointed Ilona Szafer as its new Head of Poland. Szafer previously held the position of Head of Asset Management Retail within the firm’s Polish operations.

As Head of Poland, Ilona Szafer will be responsible for the development and execution of Savills IM’s strategy there, where it manages a diverse portfolio of c. €1.7 billion  of assets across the office, logistics and retail sectors. Based in the Warsaw office, she will oversee day-to-day operations of the local team and its investment, acquisition and asset management strategy, working closely with Savills IM’s Head of Europe, Kevin Aitchison, and Head of Asset Management Juan Miguel Marinas Redondo.

Ilona Szafer – whose 20 years of experience includes roles at pan-European investment manager MARK Capital Management, when it was known as Meyer Bergman, IMMOFINANZ and TriGranit – has been with Savills IM since it first entered Poland in 2017. A key market for the firm, it has expanded its portfolio  to c.1.5million sqm in the last eight years, investing through various funds and mandates as part of its pan-European strategy.

Savills IM manages €26.1bn  of assets  in the Living, Industrial & Logistics, Debt, Natural Capital, Office and Retail sectors across the UK, Asia-Pacific and Europe.

Ilona Szafer, Head of Poland at Savills Investment Management, commented:

“We have an established presence in the Polish market and we see a particular opportunity in the  office, logistics and retail sectors. I’m looking forward to leading a team of highly qualified professionals to deliver on our investment objectives and expand our portfolio. My priority will be to continue implementing a strategy rooted in highly selective acquisitions supported by active asset management programmes, ensuring we achieve alignment with client expectations and a response to evolving market conditions.”

Kevin Aitchison, Managing Director, Head of Europe, Savills Investment Management, said:

“Ilona’s appointment represents an important next step in the evolution of our strategy in Poland. We secured early mover advantage by entering into the country almost a decade ago and remain committed as long-term investors, where we can leverage our local expertise to unearth favourable opportunities and capital solutions for our investors. The Polish market forms part of a diversified pan-European portfolio that is strategically invested in Europe’s strongest economies and in defensive, structurally-supported sectors with clear growth potential.”