European Commercial Real Estate Asset Managers Survey: Strategies & Technology Priorities

Executive Summary

• This report presents the results of 90 telephone interviews conducted with asset and portfolio managers across Europe from October to December 2022.
• These executives are key in shaping and directing real estate strategies, as they advise real estate investors on how to maximize their returns. They have their hands full navigating a real estate ecosystem that has been shaken up by an adjustment to post-COVID ways of working, as well as an uncertain turbulent economic climate with fears of recession and increasing interest rates.
• The survey finds that asset managers are prioritizing financial risk management and cost reduction initiatives in times of economic uncertainty, as one would expect, given their role definition. They are also recommending to investors initiatives that address the opportunities they see in the market, such as increasing provision of flex spaces, implementing electric vehicle (EV) charging infrastructure and adopting ESG criteria in investment processes. 
• To improve portfolio management, asset managers are looking to digitize internal management processes to improve data management, reporting and analytics. Specifically, software offerings that support capital budget planning and ESG data reporting will see the highest levels of investment.
• Asset and portfolio managers, as well as investors, can use this report to benchmark their own real estate strategies, priorities and technology preferences. Smart building product and service providers can use the report to better understand market direction and emerging areas of interest for real estate asset managers, who look to optimize property portfolios as well as their own operations.