Nordicum - Real Estate Annual Finland 2018 | Page 13

that views technology as a tool for citizen
empowerment.
“This focus is desperately needed in
a world where populism is exploiting the
growing disaffection of large numbers of
citizens due to economic insecurity and cul-
tural anxiety.”
Katz is also very intrigued by Helsin-
ki’s aspiration to be the best global test bed
for Smart and Clean Solutions. “Helsinki
is not only trying to create and grow com-
panies but attempting to change the world
and grapple with the existential threat of cli-
mate change.  The ambition is compelling!”
#1 real estate investment bank in Finland
11-time Euromoney RE M&A advisory winner
A selection of recent transactions:
Nov 2017
Oct 2017
Breaking Free
“Ambition” is apparent also in the machina-
tions of Helsinki’s new Mayor, Jan Vapaa-
vuori, who gathered the leaders of Fin-
land’s 21 largest cities into a “C21” sum-
mit in October. As a consequence, the cities
issued a joint statement calling for changes
to the Finnish government’s flagship reform
introducing elected regional governments.
One obvious concern for the cities is suf-
ficient autonomy on deciding e.g. adminis-
tration and commerce issues on their own.
Vapaavuori is of the opinion that it is
hardly fair for the government to be mak-
ing the biggest reforms in Finnish history,
while the biggest cities’ perspectives are
not heard at all. Furthermore, the Helsinki
Mayor acknowledged urbanisation as global
megatrend to be reckoned with and accused
the Government of refusing to understand
the significance of urban growth as the pri-
mary engine of regional development.
United We Stand
Granted, some of the participants have only
about 50,000 inhabitants, so it is clear that
some of the cities are, in fact, more like glo-
rified towns. Having met Mayor Vapaavuori
during his Helsinki visit, Katz applauds his
effort in the matter.
“I think cities of disparate sizes share
many common challenges, particularly if
they are located in the same metropolitan
area.  The focus must be on what unites cit-
ies rather than what divides them.”
And what advice would Katz give to
the C21 network? – Katz points out that suc-
cessful networks meet to decide rather than
just meet to discuss – so the sense of urgency
and purpose must be there.  
“The key is to prioritise initiatives and
projects that have appeal across cities of dis-
parate sizes and are organized to design and
deliver real change. The Denver metropo-
lis is a good example of a network of cities
that collaborates to act.” l
sold sold
a prime CBD office
in Helsinki a prime CBD office
in Helsinki
to for € 41 million to
Advisor to the seller Advisor to the seller
June 2017 May 2017
Kesko, Rakauskas family
and Zabolis Partners
sold sold
its head office property a portfolio of retail
properties in the Baltics
for € 55 million to for € 174 million to
Advisor to the seller Advisor to the sellers
Jan 2017 Dec 2016
sold sold
a portfolio of over
1,300 apartments an office portfolio
to for € 130 million to
Advisor to the seller Advisor
the seller
seller
Advisor to
to the
Sami J. Anteroinen
tel. [phone]
Nordicum
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