The new Iberian Director comes to Lisbon to boost business expansion
- Kilian Gonzalez Fontboté, new Director of Sales and Expansion at Spain and Portugal, meets with franchisees of Engel & Völkers at Parque das Nações
- In Portugal, the company plans to open five more branches this year and reach 120 employees
- The Iberian expansion provides 18 new licenses in 2016 and 20 by 2017
- Turnover in Portugal reaches EUR 400 million in 2017
Engel & Völkers, an international benchmark in luxury real estate sector, brought to Lisbon the new Director of Sales and Expansion for Spain and Portugal. Kilian Gonzalez Fontboté meets with franchisees, directors and agency's managers in the Parque das Nações event.
The new director will strengthen the goals and objectives of Engel & Völkers' expansion plan, providing 18 new licences in 2016 and 20 more until 2017 in the Iberian Peninsula. By the end of this year, the company plans to open five new branches in Portugal. "We aim to open soon in Albufeira, in downtown Lisbon", says Kilian Gonzalez Fontboté. These agencies are part of the 11 branches granted in our country since the beginning of the expansion plan.
"Portugal has become a key market for Engel & Völkers," says Kilian Gonzalez Fontboté. "The domestic real estate sector has been recovering in recent times, with prices increasing in a surprising way. There is also a very noticeable interest in the renovation of old buildings, particularly in the historic areas of cities which are again in high demand for housing, "he added.
Prospects for the second half of the year
The director of sales and expansion for Portugal and Spain comes to share information about the Iberian market, know where each national agency markets its brand, and give an outlook for the rest of the year.
Engel & Völkers registers a turnover of EUR 400 million per year. In 2015, the business grew by 122% in Portugal and 46.3% in Spain. According to the new head of expansion, "the expectation is that the sales volume will grow by up to 6% for each agency in 2016".
The excellent prospects for the company reinforce the enthusiasm for further expansion. Vera Tavares Kendall, the Expansion Manager of Engel & Völkers in Portugal, states that "the aim is to put the brand in major cities as well as in tourist areas, extending the coverage from north to south and also to the island of Madeira."
As a result of opening the new branches, Engel & Völkers will also increase its team members. "The brand employs around 100 people in our country, a number that we should increase to about 120 this year, with the majority consisting of knowledgeable and experienced consultants," added the Expansion Manager.
The Engel & Völkers network came to Portugal in 2006. It currently has branches in Cascais, Estoril, Parque das Nações (Lisbon), Restelo (Lisbon), Quinta do Lago and the latest in Lagos (Algarve), which opened at the beginning of June. The company is particularly strict in selecting its partners, basing its decisions by analyzing the profile of the franchisees' candidates.
Parque das Nações agency: seven years of growth
The new director's plan for expansion coincides with the 7th anniversary of the Parque das Nações agency, which is where the meeting will be held. This was the first representation in the capital and has proved to be a key player for the development of other agencies in the greater Lisbon area. Manuel Neto, licensee partner of the Parque das Nações agency currently holds six permits in the capital, in addition to Cascais and Comporta (recently took over the management of Estoril agency).
Seven years later, Manuel Neto still remains confident in the potential growth of Parque das Nações area. "In the year that passed, we were sure of the potential of this prime area, which continues to offer numerous competitive advantages: good location, well served by public transport and other services, business and shopping areas near the river, with cultural and recreational areas as well as water sports facilities. We are in a city within the capital, "says Manuel Neto.
The growth has been remarkable, especially this year: "In the first half, we virtually achieved our target throughout the year 2015, almost doubling the prospective results by the end of the year", he reveals.The expertise of our team has contributed to this growth. "We want to provide a quality service and spend time training our employees so that they can support customers throughout the property transaction process."
Portfolio of excellence and premium locations
Those looking for modern apartments and large-sized villas can fully rely on Engel & Völkers. This company has a comprehensive and prestigious portfolio in the luxury real estate sector, which ranges from historic houses to modern architectural designs - with a certain air of eccentricity, such as the most beautiful castles in Europe.
Currently, the properties that are offered for sale in Portugal amount to 900, with values ranging between 80,000 euros and 25 million. Engel & Völkers has won many awards for its service. It has entrepreneurs and independent business owners in 36 countries on four continents, with more than 600 branches around the world and more than 40,000 properties in the portfolio.