Workshops and conferences

In March 2015, the Bank of Greece organised, in collaboration with the European Real Estate Society (ERES), the 3rd International Conference on the Real Estate Market on: "Commercial property market indices and strategic actions for distressed property actions in Greece".

The conference was addressed by the Governor Mr G. Stournaras, and coordinated by the Deputy Governor Mr Th. Mitrakos (Part A) and Professor S. Tsolakos of the Henley Business School (Part 2).

The conference was attended by 250 Greek and foreign executives from credit institutions, private and public bodies, research institutes and universities, as well as officers of EU central banks.

The speakers in Part 1 of the conference on "Commercial property market indices” included: Mr Andrew Kanutin from the European Central Bank (ECB) who referred to the ECB efforts to develop a European commercial property market index. Ms Michela Scatigna from the Bank of International Settlements (BIS), who referred to the collection and use of data on commercial properties by BIS. Ms Vasiliki Vlachostergiou, from the Bank of Greece Real Estate Market Analysis Section, who presented the commercial property indices in Greece published by the Bank and, finally, Ms Dika Agapitidou, general manager of the newspaper "Athinaiki Ikonomiki" who referred to determinants and variables of the commercial property market.

The speakers in part B on "Strategic actions for distressed property assets" included: Mr Éamonn D’Arcy (professor at the Henley Business School) and Ms Paloma Taltavull La Paz (professor at the Alicante University), who referred to the Irish (NAMA) and Spanish (SAREB) experience, respectively. Mr Peter Cosmetatos (CREFC Europe), who referred to the sustainable management of distressed real estate portfolios and the role of loan regulation in Europe. Ms Aggeliki Zerva, deputy director of the Bank of Greece Banking Supervision Department, who presented the regulatory framework governing bank distressed assets. Ms Kerasina Raftopoulou, advisor to the Vice-President of the Greek Government on matters relating to the financial sector, who spoke on the part of the government about the management guidelines for non-performing loan portfolios. A panel discussion followed regarding market views, with the contribution of Mr George Frangou (National Bank of Greece), Mr Dimitris Andritsos (Eurobank Property Services), Mr Thomas Ziogas (NAI Hellas), Mr Yannis Revythis (Association of Athens Real Estate Agents) and Mr Nikos Chatzitsolis (CBRE-Axies).

In December 2011, the Bank of Greece organised the 2nd Conference on the real estate market: "The real estate market in the current financial crisis". The conference was addressed by the Deputy Governor Mr I. Papadakis, and coordinated by the member of the Monetary Policy Council Mr G. Demopoulos (Part 1), the Special Advisor of the Bank of Greece Mr G. Symigiannis (Part 2) and the Head of the Real Estate Market Analysis Section Mr Th. Mitrakos (special topic). The proceedings of the conference were attended by 240 persons, mainly from commercial banks, the business community, universities, research institutes, public administration, real estate market bodies and other collective bodies. Officers of many EU Member States central banks also attended the conference.

In Part A of the conference referring to the international environment, speakers included Goethe University Frankfurt Professor and ECB Consultant, Mr M. Haliassos (on "Housing as a form of wealth: International differences and the role of financial innovation"), the Director of European Research PPR Mr Sotiris Tsolacos (“Recent developments, prospects and risks in the international real estate market”), the member officer? representative? of the Central Bank of Spain and Olympia Bover (“Housing boom and bust as seen from the Spanish Survey of Household Finances”) and the member of the Central Bank of Italy, Mr Francesco Zollino (“Recent developments in the real estate market in Italy: main drivers and prospects”). 
Speakers in Part 2 on the real estate market in Greece included the Economic Analyst of the Eurobank EFG Group Division of Economic Research & Forecasting Mr Th. Sampaniotis on "The Greek economy and its real estate market in view of the crisis", the Chairman of RICS Hellas Mr I. Ganos on "Property valuations during crisis: consequences and risks" and the Head of the Bank of Greece Real Estate Market Analysis Section Mr Th. Mitrakos on "The evolution and outlook of the Greek real estate market and initiatives of the Bank of Greece". 
Particular emphasis was laid on the conference's special topic on the utilisation of state property in relation to which views were put forward by the University of Athens Professor and General Director of the Foundation for Economic and Industrial Research (IOBE), Mr Y. Stournaras and the civil engineer and Counsellor of Real Estate, Mr G. Panagiotidis ("Alternative ways of state property utilisation: some new proposals”). This proposal was commented by the Chartered Surveyor of FRICS and Counsellor of Real Estate, Mr E. Ziogas, and a fruitful discussion followed. 

In April 2009, the Bank of Greece organised a workshop on "Real estate market: Recent Developments and Prospects", addressed by the Governor, Mr George A. Provopoulos, and coordinated by the member of the Monetary Policy Council Mr George Ikonomou. The workshop was attended by public administration officers and commercial banks executives, researchers of economic institutes, representatives of the real estate market agents and mass media, as well as individuals.

The speakers of the workshop included the University of Piraeus Professor and EFG Eurobank-Ergasias Financial Advisor, Mr Gikas Hardouvelis on "The importance of the housing market for the economy", the Director of the Guildhall Asset Management Hedge Fund and Associate Member of the Centre of Economic and Public Policy, University of Cambridge, Mr Elias Karakitsos on "The Lessons from the Housing Market Crisis", the NBG Real Estate General Manager, Mr Aris Karytinos on "REITs: International and Greek Operational Framework", the Bank of Greece Special Advisor, Mr George Symigiannis on "Housing Prices: The recent Greek experience", and the Bank of Greece Head of the Real Estate Market Analysis Section, Mr Theodoros Mitrakos on "Statistics and Real Estate Price Indices: The new initiative of the Bank of Greece".