Helaba’s Martin Erbe says that based on discussions and negotiations he and his colleagues have had this year, he’s looking for more positive sentiment on the markets in 2013. “Our sense is that the overall economy might improve a little bit towards the end of the year and that investors will become a bit more optimistic about investing in CEE,” he says. Helaba will be looking primarily for new transactions, though Erbe admits that with investment deals less common than they once were, he’ll also be on the lookout for opportunities to refinance existing owners who are unhappy with their current lenders. “The focus in both is always on the good quality of the asset, the long term cash flow as well as on the good Sponsor quality.”
