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Investment company Encore Capital Trust (ECT) successfully completed the first round of financing by attracting RON 17.7 million from several strategic investors. Thus, the company’s capital reached RON 18.2 million (approximately EUR 3.7 million).
Among the investors that participated to the first round of financing there are several successful entrepreneurs, such as Dan Sucu, Mobexpert’s owner, Marius Hanganu, the co-founder of Tremend Software – one of the most dynamic local IT companies, acquired by Publicis, Iosif Szavuj, the founder of telecommunication operator Ines Group, Silvana Berciu – founder within the group of companies from which BDG Import and Loft are part of, brands equivalent to luxury and exclusivity on the Romanian HoReCa market, Ahmet Buyukhanli, the developer of residential project Cosmopolis and Cristian Becheanu, founder of Art pharmacy chain, acquired by Dr Max.
Encore Capital Trust will capitalize investment opportunities in the local real estate market, the main objective being a plus 20% annual return for its shareholders. ECT’s investment policy will focus on six lines of business, based on which the company will bring above average returns to its shareholders and investors.
The main lines of activities will be the acquisition of residential units in projects in early development stages, at a preferential price, mezzanine investments, which involve capital participation in the development of a project and the capitalization of the completed product, the acquisition of real estate assets in order to obtain a monthly return and iBuyer acquisitions on the secondary residential market.
Encore Capital Trust was founded and is managed by a series of proven entrepreneurs and managers with a vast experience on the local real estate market and business environment. The foundations of the company were laid by Cosmin Savu-Cristescu, managing director of Redport Capital group, an important local real estate developer and Andrei Sârbu, CEO of real estate consultant SVN Romania, one of the main profile companies active in Romania and the one with the most extensive activity on the residential segment.
The management team will be formed by Robert Butoi, CFA, as Chief Executive Officer, which previously was the local director of Crowdestate AS – one of the largest real estate crowdfunding platforms from Europe, by Bogdan Gubandru as Chief Investment Officer, which is one of the most experienced real estate consultants specialized in investment transactions and who holds also the position of Head of Investment within Crosspoint Real Estate / Savills, from Amalia Dirle as CFO, after a career of over 12 years on the banking sector, out of which the last five in private banking within BRD GSG, Raluca Dobrișan as Investor Relations Manager, after five years as Senior Broker and Project Manager within SVN Romania, and from Elena-Diana Nedelcu, as Head of Legal. The management team will be assisted for legal issues by Valentin Creata from Popovici Nitu Stoica & Asociatii, one of the most appreciated legal firms from Romania.
Encore Capital Trust will also have a redoubtable Advisory Board, consisting of Liviu Arnautu, founder and partner of the asset manager Atlas Asset Management, Anca Galatescu, strategic macroeconomics consultant, Traian Briciu, president of the National Union of Romanian Bars and partner of Pop Briciu Craiu law firm, Adrian Codirlasu, vice-president of CFA Romania and DOFIN associate professor at ASE, Ruxandra Jianu, partner at Biris Goran Law Firm, Bogdan Iliescu, founder of Bogdan Iliescu Corporate Finance, with over 20 years of experience in privatizations, mergers and acquisitions and capital markets, Bogdan Belciu, co-founder and partner of the consulting company Valorem Business Advisors and Marius Hanganu, co-founder of Tremend Software.
”We brought together within Encore Capital Trust the best possible team, from consultants and entrepreneurs with rich experience on the Romanian real estate market to financial analysts and top experts in macroeconomics, legislation and taxation. The real estate market presents many opportunities, regardless of its segment, and we have all the ingredients to bring above average returns to our shareholders. Our goal for the next two years is to reach an investment portfolio worth several tens of millions of Euros”, stated Robert Butoi, CFA, Encore Capital Trust CEO.
