What will it take to turn investment potential into real, bankable projects?
At EastGate 2026, in Iaşi, Romania, this panel, Capital Meets Opportunity What Will Get Investment Done?, showcased leading representatives from international financial institutions, banking, investment promotion and professional services examine what ultimately determines whether capital moves into a market and what can prevent promising opportunities from becoming investable projects.
Chaired by Csanád Csürös, CEO of Property Forum, the discussion explores the priorities of investors and lenders, access to finance, project bankability, risk, public-private cooperation and the conditions regions need to create to compete successfully for international capital.
The panel brings together perspectives from the Council of Europe Development Bank, EBRD, IFC, Erste Group Bank, KPMG and InvestRomania360, providing a practical view of what investors and financial institutions need to see before committing capital.
Panellists:
Wassila Dridi Country Manager Romania, Council of Europe Development Bank
Mihaela Mihailescu Associate Director, Deputy Head Romania, EBRD
Ionu Măstăcăneanu Associate Partner, KPMG Tax
Cristian Nacu Senior Country Officer, Romania, IFC
Adina Rada Managing Partner, InvestRomania360
Hannes Wimmer Managing Director, Loan Capital Markets, Erste Group Bank AG
Chair:
Csanád Csürös CEO, Property Forum
Topics discussed:
Investment | Institutional Capital | Project Finance | Bankability | International Financial Institutions | FDI | Access to Finance | Public-Private Cooperation | Romania | Regional Development | CEE
Part of EastGate by Property Forum connecting regional opportunities with international capital and decision-makers.
Bucharest is consolidating its position within the Central and Eastern European (CEE) real estate market, combining rental growth across major asset classes with investment yields that remain well above Western European levels, according to the DNA of Real Estate Europe Q2 2026 report published by Cushman & Wakefield. Across Europe in Q2 2026, prime office rents rose 4.5% year-on-year, retail rents increased 3.0%, and logistics rents grew 2.4%, while investors remained selective as yield movements pointed to a more balanced market following the repricing cycle of recent years.
Energy company Electrica informs investors and the capital market that it has obtained the technical grid connection permits (ATR) for 17 new battery energy storage projects (BESS), with a total capacity of approximately 700 MWh.
The European Retail Banking Radar, Kearney's latest study now in its 18th edition, shows that Europe is entering a period of normalisation following the conditions of 2023–2025. For Romania, the challenge extends beyond the normalisation of interest rates.
Romania's national electricity transmission network operator, Transelectrica, has halted scheduled maintenance shutdowns to ensure the grid operates at maximum capacity during an ongoing extreme heatwave. The preventive measures aim to mitigate operational risks associated with severe weather conditions.
Digi Spain has announced its intention to launch an initial public offering (IPO) on the Spanish stock exchanges, aiming to raise approximately €150 million.
