Looking ahead to the new year, these are the 10 “hottest” areas in the sector where talent will be key to business development. The real estate real estate closed the year 2022 with record business figures despite the economic situation that, in some way, mitigate the less optimistic forecasts for the year ahead, according to the Spanish multinational talent search company Catenon. In Spain, the real estate sector is attracting new companies, private investors and investment funds that have been successfully developing new business models for years. Looking ahead to the new year, the firm has identified 10 “hot” areas in the sector where talent will be key to business development. According to Catenon, real estate is a very mature sector that, after the pandemic, is developing new business models such as build to rent, senior living, coworking or house flipping (buy, renovate, sell). “Spain continues to be a very attractive country for foreign investment. A very mature and secure market, which offers a lot of second-hand product to rehabilitate,” says Carlos Benjumea, Executive Director of Catenon. In this context, according to Catenon the 10 most sought-after corporate areas will be: 1.- Data analytics. Analytics and Big Data have made a strong entry into an already digitized industry, but it needs to strengthen its data-driven decision-making processes and optimize risk management. Therefore, transversal profiles are especially in demand by Investment Funds, Socimis, Family Offices, Real Estate Consultants and new companies(Proptech). Innovation. Innovation is gaining strength in real estate, associated both with infrastructure and its management, as well as with the development of new business models, and is linked to areas such as energy efficiency and decarbonization. ESG. Well living is a growing trend that includes health and wellness in the spaces where people live, work or visit and extends to the concept of healthy buildings. Certifications such as Well V2 Platinum from the Well Building Institute (IWBI) and Leed Platinum (Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design) set new standards in wellness, energy efficiency, sustainability and reputational improvements for organizations. Debt. Debt management in strategic positions is going to be the most demanded profile typology in the real estate sector in 2023. A sector where debt funds that offer bridge loans as an alternative to banking are gaining prominence every day. 5.- Investments. Investment is a key element of real estate, a sector in which investment banking is increasingly present, and the demand for specialists in the sector will grow throughout the chain of players, from developers to investment funds and marketers. Asset Management. Asset and wealth management is a priority factor in real estate, which requires managers with a strong knowledge of the sector and integrated planning, organization and management skills to optimize performance, minimize costs and improve service. 7.- Valuations. This is another key area for the sector, especially at a time of relative uncertainty due to the electoral processes that will take place in 2023 and possible regulatory changes. Investor relations. Their role becomes more critical in growing and expanding companies to ensure their correct strategic positioning with investors and stakeholders. In addition, he is responsible for defining strategies for attracting and attracting investors, investment roadmaps and financing strategies. 9.- Financial Controlling. A profile in high demand in highly competitive markets in terms of margins, investments and financing, whose role is to provide a clear picture of the financial statements and internal processes that allow appropriate decisions to be made. Real Estate Development. The development of real estate projects and the management and marketing of assets throughout their life cycle is gaining prominence thanks to the new emerging business models.
