Erste Group named “Lender of the Year” at CEEQA Awards

Erste Group has been named “Lender of the Year” at the CEEQA Awards, one of the most prestigious distinctions in the commercial real estate industry in Central and Eastern Europe (CEE). Winning this award for the third consecutive year reflects peer and industry recognition of Erste Group’s consistent excellence and market leadership in commercial real estate finance across the region.

The award, presented by an international jury of investors, banks, developers and advisors, recognises outstanding overall performance in the market. It highlights Erste Group’s ability to deliver financing solutions in challenging market environments, structure complex transactions and build sustainable, long-term partnerships with clients.

Günther Artner, Head of Group Commercial Real Estate, Erste Group:
“Being named ‘Lender of the Year’ once again is a strong endorsement of our consistent performance across the region. Especially in a challenging market environment, our focus is on providing reliable and well‑structured financing solutions for our clients. This award reflects the strength of our cross‑border collaboration, our deep local market expertise and, above all, the trust our clients place in us as a long‑term partner.”

Recognition of market-wide performance

The CEEQA Awards – often referred to as the “Oscars” of the CEE real estate sector – are considered a trusted benchmark of industry achievement. The “Lender of the Year” category focuses on overall impact and consistency rather than individual transactions.

Winning the award for the third consecutive year highlights Erste Group’s sustained market presence and consistent performance across market cycles, while underscoring its ability to support clients with stability and tailored financing solutions even in complex and demanding environments.

Strength through collaboration and regional expertise

A key driver of this success is close cooperation across the Group’s network. Cross-border teams work seamlessly along the entire value chain – from origination and structuring to execution – combining deep local market knowledge with regional expertise.

This integrated approach enables Erste Group to finance large-scale and complex real estate projects across multiple markets and asset classes, while maintaining a strong focus on long-term client relationships.

Leading real estate finance platform in CEE/SEE

Erste Group’s Commercial Real Estate business is one of the leading providers in the region, supported by:

• More than 200 specialists across Central, Eastern and Southeastern Europe
• A real estate financing portfolio of approximately EUR 25 billion euros
• More than 50 years of experience in real estate finance

This scale and expertise allow Erste Group to actively contribute to the development of real estate markets across Central Europe.