Business Summary of the Year 2021 in Poznań

Last year was excellent for business in Poznań. We announced 13 new investments in the modern services and IT sectors. In addition, companies, present in Poznań for many years, have developed significantly. In comparison with the year 2020, we observed the growth in the number of students in Poznań. For the third time, we have organised one of the most substantive events for IT specialists – the Pozitive Technologies conference.

– The investment potential of Poznań is proved by investors’ decisions, who more and more often choose our city and create here attractive workplaces for our residents, as well as by high international ratings of the Fitch and Moody’s agency. I am glad that the employment rate in Poznań is becoming low again, returning to the pre-pandemics levels. Last year proves that we manage to create a great climate for investments and that businesses can develop and grow here – states Jacek Jaśkowiak, the Mayor of Poznań.

 In April, at the CEE Business Services Summit&Awards 2021 conference, the City of Poznań was the winner in the category of the "Most dynamically developing city in Poland". Both the Moody’s Investors Service agency and the Fitch Ratings confirmed Poznań’s High rating in 2021. It means that the City has a very high capacity of keeping its commitments. The stable prognosis notifies that Poznań’s financial credibility should not change in the nearest future.

NEW INVESTMENTS MEAN NEW JOBS

The year 2021 abounded in new investment projects in the sectors prioritised for the City of Poznań. We have announced 13 new investments in the sector of modern services for business and IT, among others Infosys, ALTEN Polska, B. Braun, Transcom or Nobl9. Over 120 BPO/SSC, employing in total over 24 thousand workers operate in Poznań. Last year we have celebrated several anniversaries. The MAN Shared Services Center was opened in Poznań 15 years ago. The McKinsey office has been operating in our city for a decade. Rockwool Global Business Service Center, Volkswagen Group Services and Capgemini are present in Poznań for already 5 years. Computacenter has celebrated its third anniversary. All employers declared to increase employment soon, enlarging their staff in Poznań.

Additionally, the Chinese company Tuopu – the world leader in producing components for electric-powered cars, has announced its new investment in Poznań. Over 450 people will get a job in its modern factory. Although we have not presented it officially yet, another new Chinese investment in the productive sector – the Sinoboom factory will hire around 100 people.

It is worth mentioning that the demand for warehouse spaces has increased during the pandemics (in Poznań at the record level of +31% y/y). Currently, i.a., two large logistic investments of Panattoni are in progress in the Poznań Agglomeration area, of a total area of 70 thousand sqm. The CLIP company is enlarging its transshipment terminal.

AN ATTRACTIVE OFFER OF MUNICIPAL REAL ESTATES

After a break due to the pandemic, this autumn we again took part in the two most important real estate industry-related events in Europe – the fair MIPIM in Cannes and Expo Real in Munich.

– This year’s offer of municipal properties turned out to be very attractive for investors. The property at Olsztyńska street and the investment fields in the Franowo area and the Rataje roundabout were sold in the tenders organised in 2021. Now our priority is to sell further properties at the corner of Hetmańska and Górecka streets and the Unii Lubelskiej street – stresses Bartosz Guss, the Deputy Mayor of Poznań.

The up-to-date offer of investment areas is available on our website.

PROJECTS OF #BOITEAM (INVESTOR RELATIONS DEPARTMENT TEAM) IN 2021

Over the last year, we carried out many projects aimed at the promotion of the employers in Poznań, though the most important one was undoubtedly the third Pozitive Technologies conference.

– Nearly 1000 participants from Poland and abroad registered to attend this year’s edition. Panels were divided into 5 thematic tracks – NaraMobile, GrundSec, WilData, Jeżyce ++ i PiątkOps. For the first time, Żabka company became the strategic partner of our event. Obviously, Pozitive Technologies could not take place without the support of our other partners and the program council – says Katarzyna Sobocińska, Deputy Head of Investor Relations Department.

In the middle of 2021, we published the second edition of the "IT Sector Investment Potential in Poznań 2021" report, prepared for us by ManpowerGroup. At the occasion of the premiere of the report a debate of experts, who tried to answer the question "Is the IT sector is booming during the pandemic period?", was held. At the headquarters of the Data Center Beyond.pl a discussion on the recruitment process took place. Justyna Mazur, head of Experis IT Perm (ManpowerGroup), Beata Lewicka- Arendt, head of HR Beyond.pl and Wojciech Wencel, CEO summ-it took part in it.

On social media and the website, we posted a series of publications entitled "Start IT up! In Poznań", which was dedicated to companies whose success stories started in Poznań. In a series of posts and articles, we presented the most interesting projects of summ-it, STX Next, Verseo, Curiosum, IC Solution and Mood up Team.

Furthermore, we attended the JOBICON, the festival of job offers, organised by Pracuj.pl. The participants could find out more about the current job offers of the employers operating in Poznań during the online meetings with representatives of two HR agencies – CPL Jobs and HAYS. In the "Poznań #EMPLOYS" file we published job offers of nearly 30 companies operating in Poznań. Many employers are looking for candidates with knowledge of foreign languages. In the folder, we have especially highlighted job offers for foreigners without knowledge of Polish (or with basic knowledge of Polish). These include the offers of such international giants as Carl Zeiss, Carlsberg, Duni EFF, Franklin Templeton, Imperial Tobacco, Lorenz, Lumen, MAN, Miele, and Roche.

Last year, a scholarship program for students preparing for employment in Poznań has been launched once again. It aims to make it easier for Poznań students to find attractive internships, and then to work in companies operating in the city. The scholarship is predicted for six months in the amount of PLN 6,000. After completing the internship, it is required to employ an intern and maintain the workplace created in this way for 6 months.

PLANS FOR THE NEW YEAR

– We begin the year 2022 by updating the "Move to improve" booklet, which is already available on our website. In March, the stand of the City of Poznań once again will be presented at the MIPIM investment and real estate fair in Cannes. We also believe that in the autumn of 2022 we will meet in person in Poznań during the fourth edition of the Pozitive Technologies conference – sums up Katja Lożina, BOI Director.

For 2022, we have planned the continuation of many projects and initiatives. The next edition of our scholarship program for Poznań students has already started. This year, we have funds for co-financing 10 internship places. We are also continuing cooperation with Poznań universities in the field of promoting the city as a strong academic centre. At the beginning of February, an agreement for the launch of the base was signed. Thanks to it, the Poznań Supercomputing and Networking Center joined the IBM Quantum Network and together with Polish scientists and IBM will develop quantum computing technology. In addition, the Adam Mickiewicz University and the Poznań University of Technology have signed a letter of intent with IBM on the creation of new fields of study related to quantum computer science. Highly qualified employees are one of the reasons why Poznań is an attractive city for investment.

All updated information from the Poznań business may be followed at the "Invest in Poznan" profile on Facebook and LinkedIn.

This article comes from magazine:
FOCUS ON Business #3 March-April (2/2022)