DTZ Finland’s success was based on the same qualities as the year before.

- The title is awarded to a company that actively co-operates with Sponda and has achieved good financial results, said Ossi Hynynen, Senior Vice President for Investment Properties at Sponda, when giving the certificate of honour to DTZ Finland’s Head of Commercial Leasing Hanna Lamadon and Expert Niklas Forssell.

- I really appreciate this award, as I have been fortunate enough to be part of creating this result. Co-operation with Sponda has been smooth, and now we all know one another, emphasised Niklas Forssell.

According to Hanna Lamadon, a large share of this year’s honour goes to retail leasing and its leader Jari Jäntti. He is also a new partner in the company.

- Of course, we have also succeeded in other areas. When we received the Entrepreneur of the Year award last year, it has only made our co-operation with Sponda closer, he estimates.

The awarded agents believe this year will be a busy one for retail rental operations. Consumption trends will reveal how busy this year will turn out to be. The pace is expected to be slower in the rental operations of office premises.

- Finland is undoubtedly in a downward trend but that also keeps property agencies busy as companies want to use their premises more efficiently. Moving to smaller premises is still going, which means business for us, reminds Lamadon.

In their strategies, both Sponda and DTZ focus mainly on the Helsinki metropolitan area. Even though the market is in a downturn, there is demand, especially in the city centre and the neighbourhood of Ruoholahti.

Lamadon declares the Internet as the king of the rental operations of business premises. DTZ has invested a lot in portals, which in turn has helped in making a profit. Each customer first surfs the net even though the final touch of acquiring new premises is always made on a personal level.

DTZ Finland Oy has operated under its current name for ten years. The company was originally established in 1992 as Kauppahuone, with Raul von Denffer and Arno Jaulas as partners. When Pekka Piironen joined the team, Kauppahuone DJP was born. The DTZ brand was adopted as the umbrella name for the company after the merger of Kauppahuone DJP and Estimatum in 2004. The Finnish business is now owned by its eight partners.

Property agents are a significant stakeholder for Sponda, as they support the company’s rental operations by providing an additional channel for establishing contact with customers. By giving out an annual award to one of the partners for their successful cooperation, Sponda wants to show appreciation for the important work property agents do as part of Sponda’s rental operations.

This is the seventh time Sponda has been awarded the title.