Across Europe, real estate is being redefined. The past five years have forced companies to question how much space they actually need, where value is created, and how assets can support—not drain—operational performance. The shift toward hybrid work, rising energy costs, and a renewed focus on organizational agility have turned property management into a strategic discipline rather than an administrative one.
Within this changing landscape, new consulting platforms such as Saiv Global are not emerging by chance—they are responding to structural change. Their appearance illustrates how the real estate advisory market itself is transforming: from brokers of square meters to interpreters of corporate efficiency.
From Expansion to Optimization
Between 2010 and 2020, corporate real estate strategy was dominated by expansion: larger headquarters, new regional offices, and development-driven growth.
Today, the conversation is different. The focus has shifted toward portfolio optimization, flexibility, and sustainability. Companies are measuring the performance of their spaces in terms of productivity per employee, digital adaptability, and alignment with ESG targets.
In this new reality, consulting firms are no longer judged by the size of their client portfolios, but by the efficiency gains they can deliver.
According to industry data, portfolio restructuring and consolidation can reduce total occupancy costs by 20–30% while improving space utilization and energy efficiency. This trend underpins the emergence of integrated advisory models such as Saiv Global — organizations that combine financial strategy, workplace analysis, and execution capability.
An Integrated Approach to Value Creation
Saiv Global, founded in 2025 by Ștefan Gheorghiu, is part of this wave of hybrid consultancies that bridge the gap between real estate and organizational design. Its structure blends consulting, operational execution, and business transformation—a reflection of how companies now expect real estate advice to function.
What’s particularly notable is not the company’s service portfolio, but its philosophy: viewing real estate as an active business lever rather than a fixed cost. In this sense, Saiv Global represents a broader shift across the region—away from short-term leasing negotiations and toward strategic, data-driven decision-making that supports long-term corporate goals.
Gheorghiu’s professional background spans almost three decades, with leadership roles at Colliers International, GfK/NielsenIQ, Europolis Romania, and WEMAT Global. His international exposure across Europe, the Americas, and Asia-Pacific reflects a generation of executives who have seen the industry evolve from property management to strategic asset management.
At a time when real estate decisions impact everything from employer branding to supply chain resilience, this global experience becomes more than a credential—it’s a lens for interpreting a volatile market.
Regional Implications: A Test for Eastern Europe
The Romanian and Central Eastern European markets are still adjusting to post-pandemic realities. Vacancy rates in major office hubs remain above pre-2020 levels, while companies continue to rationalize their footprints. Yet, demand for consulting on transformation, hybrid work, and cost optimization is increasing.
Platforms such as Saiv Global enter the scene at this inflection point, addressing a clear gap between local market knowledge and international best practice. They also suggest that real estate consulting is evolving toward more analytical, interdisciplinary models, in which architects, strategists, and financial analysts work side by side.
The Bigger Picture: Real Estate as Business Infrastructure
Real estate is no longer an isolated operational cost; it is part of a company’s business infrastructure. Decisions about space now intersect with human resources, technology, sustainability, and capital allocation. As organizations search for resilience in uncertain markets, the ability to reconfigure portfolios quickly and strategically becomes a competitive differentiator.
In that sense, Saiv Global is not the story itself—it is a symptom of the broader transformation: one where data replaces instinct, strategy replaces routine, and real estate evolves from a backdrop to a decisive business factor.
