Behind every iconic business there are geniuses who are fully committed not only to developing and increasing sales, but also to building the image and reputation of the product and the company they represent. For the past four years, Leo Forstner has been a visionary at the helm of RPHI Real Estate Group’s Romanian operations, with a focus on SkyTower.
What exactly made you come and then stay in Romania?
At first it was curiosity, plus the fact that, having already worked for many years at Raiffeisen Bank in Vienna, I knew the SkyTower project very well and liked it. And when I discovered what an outstanding team SkyTower has, I knew that this was the team I wanted to lead.
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How do you anticipate and adapt to ever changing customer needs before they become visible on the market?
Anticipating customer needs starts with active listening and constant dialogue. At SkyTower, we have a team dedicated to maintaining an ongoing relationship with our tenants. In addition, we also organize various types of events to create a dynamic community where we communicate directly with our tenants’ employees. This connection allows us to identify emerging trends and better understand what our customers want. In addition, we focus on innovation and technology to provide solutions that anticipate market needs, such as adopting green solutions, flexible workspaces and unique outdoor spaces for relaxation. Basically, we are proactive, not reactive, and strive to deliver more than our customers expect. Many times, we were pioneers in introducing new solutions or events that later became a trend in the real estate market.
What is one customer insight that surprised you and how did you change your approach?
The one aspect that has surprised me has to do with wellbeing and how much our customers appreciate the access to natural light and the comfortable user-friendly air conditioning system.
Although we initially considered these things to be nice to have, the feedback from our clients has shown us that these two competitive advantages are driving factors in choosing SkyTower as their company headquarters and workspace. As a result, we have begun to emphasize these two key features in our communications with our prospective tenants. Also, in the design of the office spaces, we highlight the access to direct natural light, both in open spaces and in private offices, as well as in meeting rooms, cafeterias, and relaxation areas, while also integrating effective lighting solutions to create an optimal working environment in the evenings.
In fact, SkyTower is the only office building in the country where up to 40 individual offices can be set up on any floor, each with its own chilled-beam air conditioning, plus direct and abundant natural light, so there’s no need to turn on the lights during the day. It all adds up to energy efficiency, health, creativity and productivity, in a word, well-being.
How do you manage to keep brand identity while evolving together with market trends?
Maintaining the brand identity while adapting to market trends is a delicate balance. At SkyTower, we focus on our core values: innovation, technology sustainability and responsibility. These are our constants that we integrate into every aspect of our business. At the same time, we are open to investing in change and adapting our services to meet the new market demands. Our brand identity is always guided by these values, allowing us to evolve without losing our essence.
What ethical dilemmas have you encountered in business and how did you solve them?
One of the ethical dilemmas we faced was sustainability versus cost. There were times when we were tempted to choose cheaper but less environmentally friendly solutions, in order to cut costs. However, we decided to honour our commitment to sustainability, even if it meant higher investments in the short term. We have resolved this dilemma by prioritizing the long term and believing that making the right ethical choice will bring lasting benefits to both the business and the community.
What are the most important non-financial data you are following-up to assess the business prosperity?
Apart from financial data, we put a lot of emphasis on tenant satisfaction, customer loyalty and community involvement. We also monitor our environmental impact by constantly following-up sustainability indicators such as energy and water consumption, as well as carbon emissions. Another important piece of information is the direct feedback from tenants, which helps us understand how they perceive the quality of our services and how we can improve their experience at SkyTower. All this provides us with a holistic, long-term picture of the business as a whole.
Is business an art? This question is inspired by the space you dedicate to young artists to exhibit their works in SkyTower.
Art and business are unique, no matter how similar they may seem.
But, just as art can be and often is, turned into a business, the way we grow and manage a business can, under certain conditions, become more of a mix of art and science.
Attention to detail is crucial in any area, especially in art and business. As we wanted to stand out through innovation and high-quality technology, together with SkyTower team we outlined an iconic building, composed of thousands of elements that come together like the pieces of a puzzle to create iconic SkyTower. SkyCreatives free exhibitions are part of those thousands of elements that create us and make us unique. We love artists and art communities, and we love showing our tenants that only sky is the limit when it comes to artistic expression. In fact, some of the works exhibited in the SkyTower lobby during the four years of our programme were the creations of our tenants’ employees, our talented community members to whom we give the opportunity to express themselves beyond the corporate life.
We want to give everyone who enters SkyTower a special and different aesthetic experience every month, even if they don’t expect it. And with the various talents in our SkyTower community and SkyCreatives family this is an easy task for us!
What is one regular piece of business advice you do not agree with and why?
In business, many people advise you to “always take the safe route.” I do not agree with this approach. In a dynamic and competitive business environment, I believe that innovation and calculated risk-taking are essential. Of course, it is important to be cautious, but too much caution can lead to stagnation. Success in business often comes from having the courage to step out of your comfort zone, explore new territories, and experiment with unconventional strategies. That’s why SkyTower has embraced innovative technologies and emphasized sustainability, even if it meant taking risks in the beginning.
SkyTower Bucharest, owned by Raiffeisen Property Holding International (RPHI), rises 137 meters above ground, with 37 floors and a 60-meter underground structure dedicated to storage and parking. The tower is the first building in the world to receive SHORE PLATINUM certification, the first office building in Romania certified LEED Platinum for Operations and Maintenance and also holds the DGNB Gold certification for sustainable buildings, ascertained by ÖGNI (Austrian Society for Sustainable Real Estate)
SkyTower Bucharest is the first and currently the only building in Romania to become a member of the World Federation of Great Towers – WFGT. As a member of the World Federation of Great Towers (WFGT), SkyTower is acknowledged for its excellence and iconic status.
In 2023, SkyTower Bucharest received two Romanian Property Awards: The Office Refurbishment Award and the Office Interior Award, highlighting the high-quality design and refurbishment of its common areas and interior office spaces.
SkyTower offers its tenants a wide range of amenities, including a panoramic gourmet restaurant, a uniquely designed urban garden, the specialty coffee bar Cafelier (both indoors and outdoors) and the SkyHub Event Centre with a high-tech multifunctional auditorium with a capacity of 56 seats, a multimedia meeting room with 12 seats and a 100 square meter lounge and cocktail area with bar and terrace.
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