about us.

UBM Development is one of Europe´s leading developers of timber construction projects. The strategic focus is on timber construction, green and smart building in major cities such as Vienna, Munich, Frankfurt or Prague. A Platinum rating from EcoVadis and Prime Status from ISS ESG confirm the consequent focus on sustainability. With 150 years of experience, UBM offers all development services from a single source, from planning to marketing. The shares are listed on the Prime Market of the Vienna Stock Exchange, the segment with the highest transparency requirements.

A syndicate comprising the industrialists Ortner and Strauss holds an investment of roughly 39% as the core shareholder. The Executive Committee, an expert board of 20 UBM managers, has invested €5m in UBM shares.

The headquarters of UBM Development AG are located in Vienna. Together with its subsidiaries, the company has also established an efficient network in Central Europe. Strong local integration and wide-ranging market expertise support the timely identification and utilisation of market opportunities which, in turn, protect the future pipeline. UBM’s interdisciplinary team develops ideas for new projects and innovative usage concepts, and also brings wide-ranging interests and users together. We offer a complete range of services required for this integrated approach from a single hand: market analysis, project development, planning and project management, financing, rental and asset management. Specialists with many years of professional experience accompany these processes from the initial project idea up to the transfer to tenants or the final investor. With this know-how, we cover all phases of the real estate value chain internally.

In addition to real estate development, UBM is also active as a hotel lessee. The subsidiary UBM hotels Management GmbH was founded in 2016 to bundle the operational know-how for hotel management and to combine all UBM hotel leasing operations.

organisational chart.

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projects.

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strategy.

UBM Development is sticking to its strategic positioning and is concentrating on its very own core business – real estate development. In addition to a clear focus on top metropolises and three asset classes, UBM is pushing the shift to green and smart buildings. In terms of sustainability, UBM is striving to become the leading timber construction developer in Europe. In addition, UBM always keeps a clear eye on the risk and return profile of the project portfolio in order to deliver sustainable and consistent returns.

green.
All projects that UBM develops have an impact on the ecological conditions on site and thus also influence the climate. That is why we focus on environmentally friendly, innovative and energy-saving solutions from the design stage and realization to utilization and revitalization. Green building is already a tradition at UBM and has been validated by internationally recognized building certificates for many years. The focus on sustainable project development has gained particular importance as a result of the Corona pandemic, and UBM has set itself the goal of becoming the leading timber construction developer in Europe. In order to achieve this goal, UBM already has groundbreaking projects in progress. Coupled with sustainable energy generation and use, we can significantly reduce CO2 emissions over the entire life cycle of the projects. UBM’s buildings are thus part of the solution to achieve the goal of climate neutrality of the “EU Green Deal” by 2050.

smart.
Smart buildings are like smart people: they think for themselves. For UBM, this means that buildings can adapt individually to the user experience while at the same time operating as efficiently as possible. By using sensor technology and automation, we can also implement the idea of sustainability here by reducing operating costs. UBM sees the use of technology as an opportunity for project developers, investors and users, as innovation in the construction and real estate industry brings benefits for all stakeholders. Our buildings can be recognized by the new UBM standard, which implements and develops our commitment to sustainability through technology.

and more.
The atmosphere and aesthetics of each building make it more than an office or an apartment. We succeed in designing work and living spaces by telling a story with each project. Inspired by the project surroundings and the history of the respective properties, we create distinctive buildings and neighborhoods for living, working and relaxing. With this, we create something “more” that can be felt throughout the project.

 

 

Distinct accents create a profile
UBM focuses on European metropolises such as Vienna, Berlin, Munich or Prague. Around 40% of the investments are to be made in each of the top cities in Germany and Austria and around 20% in other markets. We will continue to focus on the three asset classes of residential, office and hotel. We develop entire city quarters and extraordinary properties in prime locations. From planning to marketing, UBM offers all services from a single source.

Strict risk minimization
Strategically, the focus of our business activities is on minimizing risk. This is achieved in several dimensions. In transactions, UBM aims to establish early transaction security through forward sales. At the same time, an “asset-light strategy” is pursued through joint ventures. This enables a broader diversification of the portfolio.

Group-wide standardized processes
From an operational perspective, the aim is to significantly minimize risks by standardizing processes and institutionalizing the 360° approach. In more concrete terms, as part of the “Next Level” efficiency program, all core and support processes were reviewed on the basis of defined “quality gates” and implemented in the entire Group.

Continuation of financial strategy
The focus on a stable balance sheet also remains unchanged. The focus is on four cornerstones: increasing equity, a short balance sheet, controlling net debt, and smoothing the repayment profile. Looking to the future, sustainable financing options are being actively pursued. In 2021, a sustainability-linked bond and hybrid bond were issued for the first time, which were very successfully received by the market.

Dividend policy with continuity
UBM’s dividend policy is based on continuity and reflects the current and future earnings power of the company. For the third year in a row, a stable dividend of € 2.20 was paid despite the challenging market environment in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.

 

clear values.

competent.
Competent actions are visible in the sustainable, high quality of all our services. These actions are based on UBM’s history in the construction industry, on our many decades of experience as a developer and on the proficiency of our employees in all technical areas. But we are not only experts in technical engineering, we are also specialists for financial engineering. UBM is more widely diversified than many of its competitors. All types of technical and design issues are in the best of hands with our highly qualified construction engineers, architects, interior designers and facility technicians. The acquisition and sale of properties as well as hotel operations are also managed by UBM’s proven experts. In every phase of our projects, we identify the most important aspects and focus on efficient solutions. We encourage entrepreneurial thinking and independent actions through short decision paths and flat hierarchies. That creates a working climate where everyone feels involved, empowered – and inspired to take action.

consequent.
Consequent actions are a further conerstone of our self-image. We stand for reliability with handshake-quality. From confidential initial discussions to the first draft and turnkey transfer on time and in budget, every detail gets our full attention. We handle subsequent special requests with exactly the same commitment as an entire project and are pleased when we can exceed our customer’s expectations. Our claim for every project also includes equal treatment for the interest of UBM’s stakeholders and the demands of the market. This is seldom easy but we see it as an obligation for UBM.
Another sign of consequence: Through our commitment and determination, we have grown to become the largest hotel developer in Europe. The share of residential projects is just as large at roughly 40% of our portfolio. In other words, we have consequently placed UBM on a broad foundation tha is also extremely stable. Because a stron balance sheet and sufficient liquidity are important. We address risks carefully in order to also remain a reliable partner for our employees, customers, business associates and other stakeholders in the future.

transparent.
Transparent or in other words, understandable and predictable actions are not viewed as an annoying obligation, but as an opportunity. UBM’s listing in the prime market of the Vienna Stock Exchange gives us exact, up-to date feedback on our performance. Banks, institutional investors and our project partners are not faced with a black box when they turn to UBM. Through our investor relations activities and our increased media presence, we proactively transport a clear and diverse picture of our company. Our stakeholders and investors can follow UBM’s development, draw logical conclusions and take well-founded decisions.
In the end, this high degree of transparency also pays off for us. It is an essential criterion for our good conditions on the capital market and the substancial confidence of investors in UBM. For example: A bond we have issued in November 2019 with a coupon of 2.75% was oversubscribed in only one and a half hours, and the maximum volume of €120m was broadly placed. This type of favourable refinancing is a major competitive advantage.

management board.

Thomas G. Winkler, CEO

Thomas G. Winkler was born in Salzburg, Austria, in 1963. He completed his law degree at Salzburg University, Austria, in 1985, and received a Master of Laws (LL.M.) from the University of Cape Town, South Africa, in 1987. He started his professional career at Erste Bank AG (formerly Girozentrale) and, after various functions with Maculan Holding AG and Magna (Europe) Holding AG, he joined Deutsche Telekom AG in Bonn as Head of Investor Relations in 1998. In 2001 he was appointed to the Executive Board of T-Mobile International AG & Co. KG, where he was responsible for finance. After further assignments, among others as CFO of Lenzing AG and activities on the Supervisory Board of ÖIAG and Bashneft JSOC, Russia, Mr. Winkler was appointed Chairman of the Management Board of UBM Development AG as of 1 June 2016. As CEO, he is responsible for Strategy & Corporate Development, Investor Relations & ESG, Corporate Communications, Investment Management, Legal, Corporate & Compliance.

Patric Thate, CFO

Patric Thate was born in Bergisch Gladbach, Germany, in 1973. After completing studies in economics at Wuppertal and Nottingham Universities, he started his career at Deutsche Telekom in Bonn during 1999, where he held various management positions in finance until the end of 2010. He then served as Vice President Global Finance at Lenzing AG, Austria, until 2015, with responsibility for the entire finance division. Mr. Thate also played a key role in major international capital market transactions, including the Re-IPO of Lenzing AG. In his most recent position, Patric Thate was Head of Finance and a member of the Executive Committee of UBM Development AG. He was appointed CFO of UBM on 1 July 2017 and is responsible for Group Controlling, Accounting & Consolidation, Treasury, Tax and IT.

Martina Maly-Gärtner, COO

Martina Maly-Gärtner, MRICS, joined the Managing Board of UBM Development AG as COO from 1 September 2021. As part of her international career, she has been responsible for the hotel portfolio and strategy development of Arabella Hospitality with it’s head office in Germany as COO since 2018. Prior to that, she led the European-focused tourism consulting and hotel development company Michaeler & Partner in Vienna as Managing Director for 8 years. In addition, Maly-Gärtner has 10 years of operational hotel management experience in America, the Middle East and Europe with internationally recognised hotel chains. At UBM, Martina Maly-Gärtner is responsible for Hotel Operations, Human Resources & Work Safety, Insurance and Interior Design.

Peter Schaller, CTO

Peter Schaller studied industrial engineering for construction at the Technical University in Graz. He is a renowned construction expert and most recently headed operations for Porr in Graz. Following positions in Poland, the Czech Republic, Slovenia and Germany, Peter Schaller has held management positions at Porr in Styria since 2007. He is a member of the Federation of Austrian Industries (iv) in Styria, the Executive Board of the Economic Forum of Managers (WdF) and Vice-President of SK STURM GRAZ. Peter Schaller was appointed CTO at UBM Development AG in November 2023 and also became a member of the Managing Board. He is responsible for the fields Technical Competences, Timber Construction & Green Building.

board of directors.

The Directorate provides standing support for the Management Board to transport the defined strategy to projects at the operating level and to accompany these projects continuously through completion and sale.

Bernhard Egert
MD Germany & Head of Timber Construction Bernhard Egert
Roman Ehrentraut
Technical Competences Roman Ehrentraut
Franz Sonnberger
Controlling Franz Sonnberger
Andreas Zangenfeind
Investment Andreas Zangenfeind

executive committee.

The Executive Committee, as an expanded management body, is responsible for UBM as a corporate group. It consists of 2 members: the four members of the Management Board and 18 managers from the core markets and divisions. This management body meets roughly every six weeks to coordinate priorities and exchange information on current developments. The Executive Committee has invested approximately €5m in UBM shares, and the top managers participate at 5% in a future increase in the value of the share through share options.

David S. Christmann was born in Saarbrücken in 1964. After studying architecture in Kaiserslautern, Paris and Darmstadt, he began his professional career at AS&P, where he was responsible for the urban development framework planning for EXPO 2000, among other things. He also held operational responsibility at various project developers throughout Germany, including Patrizia Immobilien AG, from acquisition to obtaining building rights to realization. In 2017, he joined the management of Rock Capital Investment GmbH, and in 2020 he moved to Isaria München Projektentwicklungs GmbH as Chairman of the Management Board. Mr. Christmann is a member of the Bavarian Chamber of Architects and an urban architect. He has been Chairman of the Management Board of UBM Germany since 01.04.24.
David Christmann
Chairman of the Managing Board Germany David Christmann
Bernhard Egert was born in Vienna in 1966. The graduate engineer studied at the Vienna University of Technology and earned an MBA at the Vienna University of Economics and Business Administration. Following his studies, he started as a Construction and Project Manager at Hofman & Maculan Bau. Later, Bernhard Egert was Managing Director of Graf-Holztechnik and Rubner Holzbau, among others. Through his chairmanship of various committees within the professional association of the timber industry, he has been contributing to the strengthening of timber construction for many years. As a master builder, master timber constructor, property developer and judicial assessor, Bernhard Egert is a proven expert in timber construction. He has headed the Timber Construction department at UBM Development since March 2022.
Bernhard Egert
MD Germany & Head of Timber Construction Bernhard Egert
Roman Ehrentraut was born in Vienna in 1970. In 1996 he graduated in civil engineering at Vienna University of Technology (TU Wien) and began his professional career as a construction manager at PORR. In 2011 he joined UBM Development AG, where he successfully contributed his experience in hotel construction. He was responsible for the Crowne Plaza in St. Petersburg and most recently for the Andaz Prague. While working in Munich he also graduated in property economics. Since October 2022 Roman has been Managing Director of UBM Czechia. His area of responsibility includes technical and qualitative aspects of project implementation, project development, and providing support for reporting.
Roman Ehrentraut
Managing Director Czechia & Germany Roman Ehrentraut
Leszek Kordyl is a graduate of the renowned Warsaw School of Economics which has been associated with the real estate industry for many years. He began to gain his professional experience in 1993 by working for Price Waterhouse. His subsequent career steps have always associated him with recognized international companies such as AIG/Lincoln, CBRE GI or Multi Corporation, where he held positions related to financial management, transactions and project development. His more than twenty-five years of professional experience, the ability to build and manage teams of accountants and analysts, and the numerous large commercial real estate projects which he managed, led him to become the Managing Director for Finance at UBM Development Polska in October 2020.
Leszek Kordyl
Managing Director Poland Leszek Kordyl
Ralf Mikolasch was born in Graz, Austria, in 1971. He completed his legal studies at the University in Graz in 1999. Afterwards he started his career in auditing at PWC in Vienna. From 2001 onwards, he worked for 3 law firms in Graz and Vienna and passed the bar exam during this period. In 2006 he left his legal practice and joined Immoaustria, a subsidiary of Immofinanz AG, as an in-house Counsel. In 2008 he became Head of the Legal Department of Immoaustria and in 2010 he joined the parent company, Immofinanz AG, as Senior Counsel and Compliance Officer. In 2012 he moved to STRAUSS & PARTNER, where he fulfilled the functions of the Legal department. In the course of the merger of STRAUSS & PARTNER and UBM Development AG, he took over the function of Senior Counsel and Compliance Officer at UBM at the beginning of 2015 and in September 2015 became Head of the Legal Department.
Ralf Mikolasch
Legal & Compliance Ralf Mikolasch
Franz Panwinkler was born in 1966 in St. Pölten, Austria. In 1990, he completed his Business Administration studies at the Vienna University of Economics and Business Administration and passed the examination for the qualification of Real Estate Trustee in 2000. Franz Panwinkler began his professional career as assistant to the Chief Financial Officer at Maculan Holding AG. In 1995, he was significantly involved in the company's restructuring and reorganisation process. He then moved to ERA-BAU as head of finance between 1996 and 1998. Before joining UBM Development, Franz Panwinkler was a Managing Partner at GEWO Bauträger GmbH. Since May 2019, Franz Panwinkler has been Commercial Managing Director of UBM Development Österreich GmbH.
Franz Panwinkler
Managing Director Austria Franz Panwinkler
Vladimír Pašek, born in 1981, studied at the University of West Bohemia in Pilsen and is a recognised financial expert today. Prior to joining UBM Development Czechia, he served as CFO of Borgers CS, an automotive supplier group with 2,200 Czech employees which is active primarily for the German automobile industry. He is, therefore, also fluent in German. He is one of the Managing Directors at UBM Czechia since October 2022.
Vladimir Pasek
Managing Director Czechia Vladimir Pasek
Andreas Pernsteiner was born in Wiener Neustadt, Austria, in 1984. After graduating in business administration from the Vienna University of Economics and Business Administration, he began his professional career at the Raiffeisen Banking Group Austria in 2009. In 2016, he moved to the corporate side in AGRANA's Corporate Treasury, where he was primarily responsible for the financing of the globally active group of companies. Since June 2021, he has been responsible for Group Treasury & Finance at UBM Development AG.
Andreas Pernsteiner
Head of Group Treasury & Finance Andreas Pernsteiner
Daniel Pfister was born on July 30, 1976 in Horb am Neckar, Germany. After graduating as a banker (IHK) and as a business economist (Diplom - Betriebswirt (FH)), he started his professional career as an investment and risk controller at MEAG Munich ERGO Asset Management GmbH. After holding positions at MAN Finance International GmbH and GENERALI Versicherung AG, Mr. Pfister worked for GEWOFAG HOLDING GmbH as an authorized signatory and member of the management. In 2020, Mr. Pfister assumed the position of Commercial Director at UBM Development Deutschland GmbH. In 2022, Mr. Pfister became Managing Director at UBM Development Deutschland GmbH and is now responsible for Accounting, Controlling, Tax, Financing, Insurance, Fleet/Mobility, Investments, IT and Asset Management.
Daniel Pfister
Managing Director Germany Daniel Pfister
Christoph Rainer was born in Villach in 1991. After his Bachelor's Degree at the Vienna University of Economics and Business he worked for KPMG in Vienna & the Austrian Trade Commission in Los Angeles followed by a Master's Degree at IE Business School in Madrid. After his stay in Spain he moved back to Austria where he started his career in the finance department at Red Bull HQ. In 2019 he joined UBM Development AG as Executive Assistant to the CEO & CFO and remained in this position for around 2 years. In 2021, he was promoted to Head of Investor Relations.
Christoph Rainer
Investor Relations Christoph Rainer
Franz Sonnberger was born in Klagenfurt in 1991. After his Bachelor's Degree at the Vienna University of Economics and Business Administration and a Master's Degree at the University of Aberdeen, which he completed with distinction, he started his career in transaction advisory at MP Corporate Finance, where he supported industrial companies in (cross-border) M&A activities. In 2018 he joined UBM Development AG as Executive Assistant to the CFO and remained in this position for one year. In 2019, he was promoted to Head of Group Controlling and is until today responsible for the group's financial plan and for preparing reports for various committees as well as advising the CFO.
Franz Sonnberger
Controlling Franz Sonnberger
Martin Steininger was born in Zwettl (Austria) in 1968. After graduating from commercial college, he joined the investment accounting department at the PORR Group in 1988. Only a few years later he was appointed Assistant Manager of Group Accounting, and in 2001 he was granted collective power of attorney for PORR. His professional development is closely linked to UBM. From accounting and costing through to consolidated financial statements, he has been responsible for UBM reporting, among other areas. When the commercial agendas moved from PORR to UBM, at the beginning of 2022 he moved to UBM AG as Head of Accounting & Consolidation.
Martin Steininger
Head of Accounting & Consolidation Martin Steininger
Sebastian Vetter is an alumni of Technical College at Construction and Environmental Technologies. He started his career at PORR AG just right after finishing his studies back in 1994. Since than he bonded with the real estate industry and became a highly qualified specialist in large scale projects. During his career at PORR AG he was responsible for projects such as Stary Browar in Poznan, AGORA office building in Warsaw or one of the most recognizable hotels in this town – Hotel Sheraton. In 2006 he joined UBM Development Polska as a managing director and is now responsible for the project development, technical and quality management. During his 14 years at UBM Sebastian managed famous projects like Poleczki Park, Pegaz office building in Wroclaw, Kotlarska 11 in Cracow and the Holiday Inn Gdansk City Centre and Hotel Andel’s in Lodz.
Sebastian Vetter
Managing Director Poland Sebastian Vetter
Josef Wiedermann was born in Prague, Czech Republic, in 1974. After completing his studies at the University of Economics in Prague and studying at Otto-Friedrich University in Bamberg, Germany, he started working for the German real estate company ECE based in Hamburg. He held various management positions for more than 15 years, with responsibility for the company's expansion into the Central European region. Josef founded his own real estate consulting company JWC in 2016. He has been a member of the Management Board of UBM Development Czechia and Executive Committee of UBM AG since March 1, 2020. His responsibilities are acquisitions, development, marketing and sales of UBM projects in the Czech Republic.
Josef Wiedermann
Managing Director Czechia Josef Wiedermann
Andreas Zangenfeind was born in 1976 in Linz, where he started his career as a construction technician in the architectural company Kaufmann & Partner. In 1999 he moved to Delta Projektconsult in Vienna as a project manager for six years. He then worked for Immofinanz AG as a division manager for real estate asset management and transaction management. During his activities, Andreas completed his diploma studies in management and business administration at the University of Applied Sciences in Vienna, graduating in 2006. From 2010 until he joined UBM, he was Managing Director at ALIZEE Real Estate. Andreas started in the Group in 2011 in transaction management and took over as head of the team at UBM Development in 2012.
Andreas Zangenfeind
Investment Andreas Zangenfeind

history.

1873-1898

UBM was founded on 3 March 1873 as Union-Baumaterialien-Gesellschaft. The company is active in the acquisition and operation of brick factories and quarries. UBM‘s initial public offering takes place on 10 April 1873. In spite of the worldwide economic crisis, the company focuses on expansion in the 1880s and acquires numerous brick factories to become the second largest brick producer in the Austrian monarchy.

1899-1924

At the beginning of 20th Century, UBM holds a 30% investment in the Vienna brick cartel. PORR acquires shares in Union-Baumaterialien-Gesellschaft. High inflation in the early 1920s leads to the expansion of the business model: together with Allgemeine Österreichische Baugesellschaft, a number of residential construction companies are founded in 1921.

1925-1950

In connection with a joint project on the Paris real estate market, UBM and PORR form a consortium at the end of the 1920s. UBM masters the global economic crisis due to its early focus on real estate.

1950-1990

UBM has since left the original business area of Union-Baumaterialien-Gesellschaft far behind and established a new position. In the 1950s, the company increases its focus on project development with a concentration on Austria and Vienna.

1991-2015

After the fall of the Iron Curtain, UBM enters the markets in the Czech Republic and Poland. Several years later UBM is also active on projects in Germany, France and the Netherlands. In 2000, Klaus Ortner purchases his first UBM shares. The entry of the Strauss Group leads to the creation of a syndicate by the industrialists Ortner and Strauss in 2014. The syndicate purchases the majority interest in PORR and separates the construction and real estate activities. The development companies are merged. A capital increase in spring 2015 results in free float of over 60%. PORR’s stake fell below 1% and no longer exists today.

2016-2019

Thomas G. Winkler is appointed CEO/CFO in 2016. The UBM share moves into the prime market segment of the Vienna Stock Exchange. One year later, the smaller Management Board is reorganised according to functional responsibilities – with Thomas G. Winkler as CEO, Martin Löcker as COO and Patric Thate as CFO. In 2018, UBM celebrates its 145th anniversary as a company and completes a rebranding – all subsidiaries now appear under a common brand: UBM Development auf.

2020-today

The corona pandemic triggered a radical re-orientation to green. smart. and more at UBM in spring 2020. At the same time, UBM set a goal to become the largest timber construction developer in Europe. The UBM Management Board will be expanded in 2021 to include Martina Maly-Gärtner who will be responsible for hotel operations and human resources. In 2023 Peter Schaller becomes CTO and member of the management board.