Dear investors, clients, and partners
Without doubt, 2021 will be among the most eventful years in the history of One United Properties and our “ONE” family of brands. Building on the solid foundations laid by the management team for over fifteen years, we have successfully launched several new avenues in the development of our company and are strengthening our footprint within and beyond our core market Bucharest.
When developing our brand and growing our business, some things will remain unchanged, as they represent the core of ONE. Besides a profoundly entrepreneurial spirit of the company leadership and tireless dedication of our staff, it is the unrivaled commitment to quality, sustainable and green construction, technological innovation, and breath-taking architecture that puts ONE into a league of its own. These principles have guided the company since its first residential building was completed in 2006 and will remain at its core going forward. What will change is our relationship with the public and our investors, as well as our capability to finance our vast project pipeline – both have evolved significantly in recent times to our pride and satisfaction.
Certainly, one of this year’s most important moments was the exceptional outcome of our initial public offering of ten percent of company equity on the Bucharest Stock Exchange. We were thrilled by the interest of both retail and corporate investors; both segments were substantially oversubscribed. Having closed as the biggest IPO since 2017, we have become the second most liquid company in terms of trading volume on the BVB only a few weeks later. In parallel, we have expanded the ONE family by an international private equity financing arm, which enables us to access additional sources of funding for our growing project pipeline. Substantial funds have already been committed from the first private equity fundraising to One Cotroceni Park and One Lake District.
Another crucial area that we have addressed this year and will continue to enhance further going forward is corporate governance. Dedicated to serve our customers and our investors alike, we have dedicated vast efforts to guarantee the same premium level of quality and sustainability of our corporate structures, as we are known to deliver in buildings we develop. As a world-class corporation, we take matters of corporate governance and investor relations with greatest responsibility.
The timing for the ambitious changes in our corporate strategy and the increased pace of the development of our business could not be better. With the global economy transforming in the post-covid environment, our home market Romania is forecast to grow by 6% this year according to IMF projections. We believe that key urban areas, including but not limited to Bucharest, will be the main beneficiaries of this growth - especially in the premium segment, which is at the core of our strategy. Having laid the necessary foundations early on, we are set to pursue the related opportunities for real-estate development, and to deliver a unique living experience to our customers, while generating enhanced earnings for our shareholders.
As any successful corporation, we have a vision which drives and inspires our everyday efforts. Alongside my fellow Board Directors, the senior leadership team, and all staff at ONE, I am committed to changing the skyline of our cities and making exceptional, stunning, and sustainable buildings a part of our everyday life experience.
Claudio Cisullo
Chairman of the Board of Directors