Candidate’s name
Sławomir Gajewski
Current position
Chairman of the Board
Company’s name
Torus Sp. z o.o. Sp. k.
Work experience in this position
S.G. has always considered Tricity the most appealing metropolis in Poland, therefore, it became the place for his career development and adult life. After receiving a university degree in law, he completed judicial training, and later worked in Pomeranian Development Agency. Eventually, he got fully engaged in the real estate market. In 1996, he joined the group of companies owned by Małgorzata Dobrowolska, initially taking on the position of a legal advisor in Gdańskie Wydawnictwo Oświatowe. Once adequate space opened up in the property sector. Based on those experiences, Torus as a company emerged in 2002, with S.G. assuming the top position in the hierarchy. And it continues to this very day, for 20 years … Gajewski has built the Torus brand, recognized both in Tricity, and all over the Polish market of commercial properties as well. All along, he has tapped into his planning skills, strategic thinking, and has had the courage to take on successive business challenges.
Description of business activity (profile, market sectors served, etc.)
Over 20 years of its operations, Torus has conducted multiple projects in various market segments (offices, hotels, logistics, residential housing), however, its signature undertakings are modern office buildings. The company introduced more than 160 thousand sqm of modern leasable space onto the Tricity market, which makes up a sizeable chunk in the local area. The company completed seven sales transactions of its office properties to six different funds, for a combined fee of three hundred seventy million euro. The values which govern Torus’ business activity allow the company to win trust among an ever-growing number of clients from Poland and beyond. Torus also contributes to the dynamic changes that occur on the market while expanding its offer with the own concept of flexible spaces, among others. Moreover, the company introduces signature technological innovations in its buildings, undertakes ambitious revitalisation efforts, and creates multi-functional investments.
Size of the company managed by the candidate (headcount, regions of activity)
The company has conducted most of its investments in Tricity, however, it does not rule out the possibility for expansion in other regions of the country. Torus has recently carried out an ambitious revitalisation project of a historic palace – Pałac Leizigera (Wrocław), turning it into a new hotel function (5 stars). The Torus team - 120 people.
The YOY increase in profits/income generated last year
The company’s net sales revenues in 2021 were 24% higher compared to 2020.
Career path (Previous employers, professional progress, when was the candidate promoted to the current position, etc.)
Sławomir Gajewski has been in the seat of the chairman of the Torus board since the very beginning of the company’s existence. After receiving a university degree in law, while already operating on the property market, he completed judicial training, and later worked in Agencja Rozwoju Pomorza (Pomeranian Development Agency). Ultimately, he chose the real estate market as his desired field of activity.
In 1996, he joined the group of companies owned by Małgorzata Dobrowolska, initially assuming the position of a legal advisor in Gdańskie Wydawnictwo Oświatowe. As soon as adequate space opened up in the property sector, Małgorzata Dobrowolska trusted him with the realization of the first investments, back then still under the name of Gdańskie Towarzystwo Inwestycyjne. Based on those experiences, Torus as a company surfaced in 2002, with Sławomir Gajewski taking the top position in the company’s structure. And it continues to this very day, for 20 years …
Biggest business achievements, especially those made last year
1. While still in a tough pandemic time (02.2021), the sale of the fourth and the last stage of the business compound of Alchemia in Gdańsk – Neon office building, for a fee exceeding 80 million euro net. 2.Purchase of a plot in the historic, post-shipyard areas in Gdańsk, co-realization of a multi-functional investment – DOKI – together with the Euro Styl company; receiving a respective prestigious award in the European Property Awards competition. 3.Launch and development of a signature concept of flexible office spaces under the target name of COLLAB. 4.Continuation Officyna &Format and launch of new investments Punkt, DOKI Office, and a purchase of new plots, alongside ambitious plans of development in the mixed-use segment. 5. Torus R&D team, in cooperation with external experts- VBW Engineering, among others, a thorough redesigning of air handling units. The introduced modification increased the quality of air inside buildings, limiting the spread of numerous pathogens.
Contributions made to the improvement of the CEE commercial property market
Torus is one of the companies which initiated the development of the office market in Tricity. The company erected the first genuine office park in Gdańsk – Arkońska Business Park. Today, after twenty years of business activity, and upon delivering over one hundred sixty thousand square metres of modern leasable area, it amounts to almost twenty percent of the total supply of the office space in Tricity, and shows the immense contribution Torus has made in the development of the local market.
By the end of 2021, the company commercialised nearly one hundred forty thousand square metres of modern office and service space. Within the given time, Torus signed close to four hundred agreements with multiple entities, many of whom represent foreign companies, in many cases operating on the global market (five biggest transactions: State Street Bank – 14,159 sq.m; IT company – 12,112 sq.m; Lufthansa – 7,862 sq.m; Ergo Technology & Services – 5,919 sq.m; GE Money Bank – 5,796 sq.m).
To this day, the company has also completed seven sales transactions of its office properties to six different investment funds (five buildings of Arkońska Business Park, and four stages of Alchemia), for a combined fee of nearly three hundred seventy million euro.
Many a time did Torus surprise the market with its bold investment ideas, preceding trends at times. Such was the case with the construction of a sports centre with swimming pools, saunas, fitness zone, and sports hall, within the Alchemia compound. Several years upon the construction of Alchemia, sports facilities inside and around office buildings do not surprise anybody any longer.
The company has placed importance on the qualitative construction since the very beginning of its market operations. Torus was a Tricity precursor in buildings’ certification in the LEED system – Alchemia buildings achieved one of the best rating results in the country.
Other industry awards and prizes
• The DOKI Office investment, which was designed by APA Wojciechowski Architekci, won in the category of Best Upcoming Office Development of the Year, during the CIJ Awards Poland 2021 competition. It defeated six other projects to the award, two of which (PUNKT and FORMAT) are also Torus investments, designed by ‘APA’ as well.
• The DOKI investment won in the national stage of the European Property Awards competition in the Mixed-Use Development category, and advanced to the European level of the competition. DOKI is a multi-functional investment, being erected in cooperation between two developers, both leaders in their respective market areas. Euro Styl, from Dom Development Group, the largest residential developer in Poland, is responsible for the construction of the residential part (DOKI Living), and service premises (MONTOWNIA – historic, revitalised building of unique architecture). Torus, which specialises in commercial building, oversees the construction of the office-business part (DOKI Office).
• The second stage of Alchemia won an award in the Eurobuild Awards 2015 competition, considered a prestigious contest in the commercial property branch. The investment won in the Nowy Biurowiec Roku (New Office Building of the Year) category, defeating eighteen other projects to the award.