Digitalisation is a fundamental key to the challenges of our time, according to Kerstin Schlosser and Martin Zunken from Robert C. Spies KG. In a member interview, they explain the need to become more digital, more efficient, more sustainable and more flexible – and the contribution they make to this as a real estate consulting company.
Ms Schlosser, Mr Zunken, could you please give us a brief introduction to your company, Robert C. Spies KG?
Robert C. Spies is a real estate consulting company operating nationwide. Founded in 1919, the owner-managed company provides consulting and brokerage services in various areas, including private residential real estate, investment real estate, industrial, logistics and data centre space, office and retail space, hotel, health care real estate and investment.
With approximately 120 employees and offices in Bremen, Bremen-Nord, Hamburg, Oldenburg, Frankfurt and Copenhagen, Robert C. Spies assists family offices, institutional investors, operators, foundations and private clients in their search for suitable properties and land. Our discreet and trusting working style allows us to provide long-term and holistic foundation to our clients, leveraging our extensive network for all our projects.
Which digitalisation topics are particularly important to you?
Digitalisation is a fundamental key to addressing the challenges of our time and is a crucial driver of Germany’s economic and innovative strength. Digitalisation presents significant opportunities to develop essential solutions for greater sustainability and plays a central role in implementing the energy transition. It is essential for Germany to remain competitive in the future, and to achieve this we need a well-coordinated infrastructure focusing on data security and coverage. We aim to advance bring digitalisation in Germany and contribute our networking with property owners, landowners and investors to identify suitable sites.
What are the special challenges of your industry at the moment and how are you working on them?
The challenges can be summarised briefly: The development of interest rates, the development of building prices and the shortage of space in urban centres. The most important point is that our customers receive good and targeted advice according to their individual needs and requirements. Furthermore, it is our task not only to look at the here and now, but also to show our customers the “tomorrow”. From our point of view, “tomorrow” means being more digital, more efficient, more sustainable and more flexible.
How do you expect your membership in the eco Association to support you in this regard?
We would like to enter into a dialogue with our members in order to better understand the topic of digitalisation and the concept of “tomorrow” described in point 3. Together, we aim to define goals and develop appropriate solutions. We expect constructive working groups, interesting events and open-minded members who share similar ideas to ours. There is still much work ahead, particularly concerning the Energy Efficiency Act.
What opportunities does digitalisation offer us in the future?
Digitalisation holds almost unlimited opportunities, potentials, but also risks. The change is revolutionising the world of work and the economy in many respects at a breathtaking speed. We will experience an efficiency on the different levels that we have never experienced before. The task, the challenge and at the same time the great opportunity is that we must be able to manage this development, because only then can we use the potential efficiently. The best way to master this opportunity is as a team, where everyone can dedicate themselves to their focus and play to their strengths. Our USP is holistic consulting with reference to the real estate industry!
Ms Schlosser, Mr Zunken, thank you very much for the interview!
Kerstin Schlosser has been a consultant for real estate with a focus on data centres at Robert C. Spies KG since 2022. After about ten years as an architect in the Creative Design department at ECE Projektmanagement G.m.b.H & Co. KG, she joined Robert C. Spies KG in 2021 as a Consultant Projects & Development.
Martin Zunken has been a consultant for real estate with a focus on data centres at Robert C. Spies KG since 2022. Previously, he worked as a Consultant for Logistics and Light-Industrial Properties and as a Consultant for Commercial Transformation Properties at Robert C. Spies KG.
