Thursday, 29 October 2026
Leadership in Romania’s real estate industry is increasingly measured by more than the scale of a company’s development portfolio or the value of its transactions. Strategic decision-making, financial discipline, organisational development, environmental responsibility and the ability to respond to changing market conditions have become important considerations. These qualities are reflected in the eleven nominations for Best Property Leadership of the Year at the CIJ Awards Romania 2026, bringing together executives and entrepreneurs from across the country’s property development, investment and advisory sectors.
This year’s nominees are Adi Steiner of STC Partners, Alex Skouras of Alesonor, Antoniu Panait of Vastint Romania, Cosmin Savu-Cristescu of REDPORT, Doron Klein of AFI Romania, Mauricio Mesa Gomez of Cordia Romania, Răzvan Brasla of Cloud9 Residence, Răzvan Enache of SPEEDWELL, Sorin Preda of Global Vision and Vlad Musteață of NBI. Their nominations represent different approaches to business leadership, ranging from entrepreneurial expansion and large-scale investment management to sustainable development, organisational transformation and the creation of new urban communities.
Adi Steiner, CEO and Co-Founder of STC Partners, brings more than two decades of construction and project management experience to the residential development sector. With an engineering and construction management background, he has focused the company’s strategy on technical execution, energy efficiency and long-term building performance. STC Partners’ portfolio includes Quartier Azuga, Quartier Ferdinand and Quartier Pipera, reflecting an approach that places construction standards and residential quality at the centre of development decisions.
A significant example is Quartier Ferdinand, which the company identifies as the first residential project in Bucharest to receive Zero Energy Building pre-certification. Steiner’s nomination highlights the relationship between technical expertise and corporate leadership, particularly as residential developers face increasing expectations regarding energy consumption, building quality and operating costs. His approach demonstrates how engineering knowledge can influence investment decisions and the long-term performance of residential assets.
Alex Skouras, Co-Founder and Managing Partner of Alesonor, has guided the company’s development since 2003, combining property investment with an emphasis on environmental performance and community planning. His experience extends beyond real estate into renewable energy, telecommunications and wellness, providing a broader commercial perspective on sustainable development. His leadership philosophy places particular importance on transparency, collaboration and maintaining long-term relationships with employees and business partners.
Alesonor’s Amber Forest development illustrates this strategy through a residential community designed around access to education, healthcare, retail, sports and leisure facilities. The project reflects a business model in which the developer assumes responsibility for a wider range of neighbourhood infrastructure rather than concentrating exclusively on housing delivery. Skouras’s nomination also draws attention to organisational continuity, with the company reporting that many employees and partners have maintained relationships with Alesonor for more than a decade.
Antoniu Panait, Managing Director of Vastint Romania, has overseen a period of substantial development activity, particularly through the expansion of Timpuri Noi Square in Bucharest. The project’s second phase will add approximately 60,000 sqm of office accommodation, increasing the complex’s total office area to more than 112,000 sqm. The development incorporates geothermal systems, heat pumps and photovoltaic installations, reflecting the company’s strategy of reducing dependence on conventional energy sources.
Panait has also overseen commercial agreements supporting the development pipeline, including a 3,250 sqm pre-lease with SCOR for its future headquarters at Timpuri Noi Square II. The arrangement includes temporary accommodation at Business Garden Bucharest until the new premises are completed. Beyond property development, his management approach emphasises employee autonomy, accountability and collaboration. His nomination reflects the importance of combining investment execution with tenant relationships and the development of capable management teams.
Cosmin Savu-Cristescu, Founder and CEO of REDPORT, represents an entrepreneurial approach to property leadership, combining legal, financial and development expertise. Having established REDPORT in 2018, he has expanded the company into a residential development platform with more than 2,000 units in its portfolio and a reported gross development value exceeding €450 million. Its principal projects include THE LEVEL APARTMENTS, INFINITY NORD and VITALITY EST, targeting different residential market segments across Bucharest.
During 2026, REDPORT advanced several development phases while expanding its operational capabilities through REDPORT Contractor and REDPORT Engineering. These businesses are intended to provide greater control over construction execution, project costs and delivery schedules. Partnerships have also become part of the company’s strategy, including an arrangement with Mobexpert to offer integrated furnishing solutions. Savu-Cristescu’s nomination illustrates the role of organisational integration and investment discipline in managing the expansion of an entrepreneurial development business.
Doron Klein, Deputy CEO of AFI Group and CEO of AFI Romania, brings more than 20 years of experience across Central and Eastern European property markets. Having joined AFI in 2008, he subsequently held senior management responsibilities in the Czech Republic and Germany before assuming leadership of the Romanian business in 2018. His responsibilities expanded further in 2023 with his appointment as Deputy CEO of the group.
His nomination centres on two significant financial and investment transactions. AFI completed a €537 million refinancing operation and expanded its Romanian retail portfolio through the €282 million acquisition of six retail parks comprising approximately 126,000 sqm of gross leasable area. The transaction also supported the establishment of AFI Value Park as a dedicated retail park division. These developments reflect a strategy focused on portfolio diversification, capital management and extending the company’s presence across regional Romanian markets.
Mauricio Mesa Gomez, Chairman of Cordia Romania and Spain, has focused on strengthening Romania’s position within the company’s wider European residential development strategy. His leadership combines international investment experience with a development approach centred on urban accessibility, residential quality and long-term value creation. Cordia’s Romanian expansion includes strategic land acquisitions and the development of a broader project pipeline.
A central example is Centropolitan, the company’s residential development near Alba Iulia Square and Bucharest Mall. The project is planned around the concept of a neighbourhood where essential services and urban amenities can be reached within a relatively short journey. Mesa Gomez’s nomination reflects the importance of aligning residential investment with changing expectations regarding mobility, convenience and the relationship between housing and surrounding urban infrastructure.
Răzvan Brasla, CEO of Cloud9, has led the residential development business since 2024, overseeing the progression of Cloud9 Evolution from planning into large-scale construction. The €170 million masterplan in northern Bucharest is designed to deliver 1,148 apartments alongside educational facilities, retail, wellness, sports infrastructure and landscaped areas. With the first phase approaching delivery and the second phase under construction, the project represents a substantial development and management commitment.
Brasla’s professional background also includes healthcare property development, notably his involvement in Enayati Medical City, an integrated medical campus combining specialist healthcare and senior living facilities. His leadership approach emphasises financial discipline, construction quality and the delegation of responsibility within management teams. His nomination highlights the challenge of maintaining operational standards while overseeing complex projects involving multiple property uses and development phases.
Răzvan Enache, Country Manager Romania at SPEEDWELL, has recently assumed broader responsibility for the company’s Romanian operations following his previous position as Executive Director of Development. With more than 25 years of experience across investment, development and asset management, his career includes senior positions at Țiriac Imobiliare, Skanska Romania, BCR, Erste Group and Erste Group Immorent.
His new role involves overseeing a diversified development portfolio spanning residential, mixed-use, office, industrial and urban regeneration projects. SPEEDWELL’s Romanian pipeline includes QUEENS District, GLENWOOD Estate, THE MEADOWS, THE IVY, PALTIM, TINO and the larger CITYZEN regeneration initiative. Enache’s nomination reflects both his previous contribution to development execution and his expanded responsibilities for corporate strategy, investment coordination and operational performance across the business.
Sorin Preda of Global Vision has guided the company’s evolution from a property development and investment business into a broader platform incorporating real estate, renewable energy and technology. Over more than two decades, Global Vision has developed capabilities spanning investment management, construction, asset management and strategic partnerships, with an emphasis on connecting Romanian market expertise with international capital.
The company has reported an investment pipeline exceeding €150 million for 2026 and a longer-term ambition to reach €1 billion in assets under management. These figures represent planned investment activity and strategic targets rather than completed transactions or assets already under management. Preda’s nomination reflects an approach to leadership centred on capital allocation, business diversification and the development of investment structures capable of supporting larger projects and long-term asset ownership.
Vlad Musteață of NBI represents the advisory and brokerage sector, where leadership is closely connected to business growth, recruitment, professional training and organisational culture. With more than 20 years of property market experience, he has developed NBI’s operations across Romania and the Republic of Moldova, concentrating on expanding the company’s commercial activities while strengthening its internal capabilities.
According to the nomination, NBI recorded revenue growth of 137% in 2025, alongside a 119% increase in transaction volume and a 48% rise in completed transactions. Its workforce expanded from 110 professionals in 2024 to more than 260 in 2026. Musteață has also supported professional development through NBI Academy, which provides training and mentoring for real estate practitioners. His nomination demonstrates how leadership in the property services sector can be assessed through measurable business performance, talent development and the ability to establish a scalable organisation.
Although the nominees operate across different segments of the property industry, several common themes emerge from their professional records. Financial management and investment discipline remain central to corporate growth, particularly as developers manage complex construction programmes and changing capital requirements. At the same time, environmental performance, urban regeneration and the integration of community facilities have become increasingly visible elements of development strategy.
The nominations also demonstrate that leadership takes different forms depending on the organisation. For established international groups, the emphasis may be on managing substantial portfolios, executing major transactions and maintaining financial stability. Entrepreneurial developers face the additional challenge of building organisational structures capable of supporting expansion, while advisory businesses depend heavily on recruitment, professional development and the consistent delivery of services.
For the CIJ Awards Romania 2026 jury, evaluating the Best Property Leadership of the Year category requires consideration of both individual achievements and their wider business consequences. Relevant factors include strategic direction, financial performance, project delivery, organisational development, innovation and the ability to create sustainable long-term value. The assessment must also distinguish between completed achievements, projects currently being executed and future business ambitions.
The category ultimately recognises the individuals responsible for directing investment, managing people and shaping the development of Romania’s property market. The diversity of this year’s nominations illustrates how the industry depends on different forms of leadership, from technical expertise and entrepreneurial decision-making to institutional investment management and the development of professional talent.
The winner will be determined through the CIJ Awards Romania 2026 judging process, with the professional jury accounting for 61% of the final result and online voting representing the remaining 39%. The successful nominee will also qualify for the HOF Awards 2027, where leading real estate professionals and companies from participating markets will receive further regional recognition.
