Our two business segments afford us the opportunity to utilise the development and momentum of different property-related markets. The Structured Property Financing segment forms the backbone of our business model, while the Consulting/Services segment is our growth driver.
Our two business segments are focused on different client groups, and to this end, they offer different products and services. The segments have a number of common elements, resulting in synergies that benefit our clients. The central objectives of our "Aareal 2020" programme for the future are therefore to get even more out of these synergies and to interlink our activities both within and between our business segments to an even greater extent.
Our two business segments are on the same wavelength – focussing predominantly on topics relevant to the property sector. With our many years of expertise in the commercial property sector, the housing industry and in the energy and utilities industry, we therefore cover the unique expertise required for supporting and advising our clients. This broad market observation and development allows us to anticipate developments and trends ahead of many other market participants, and to transfer solutions and experience to other markets. The increased networking of our portfolio of solutions allows us to increase the number of coordinated services we can consistently offer our clients from a single source.
We will combine and use our different competencies and experiences in an even more targeted manner within our Group in the future. This also applies to the “digitalisation” megatrend: our subsidiary Aareon has specialised for decades in developing digital solutions for the property industry, and is now Europe’s leading international consultancy and IT systems house in this and related industries. The entire Group benefits from Aareon’s long-standing expertise – both in relation to its own processes as well as with regard to new digital client solutions.
The close networking of our business activities is reflected not least in the deposit-taking business: in the Consulting /Services segment, we offer our clients various IT solutions for managing their property portfolios – while offering them the option to process the incidental payments and cash management through Aareal Bank at the same time. We therefore offer our clients solutions from a single source. For Aareal Bank, deposits from the housing industry are a strategically important additional source of funding for the property financing business, and one that is largely independent of the capital markets. In addition to the German Pfandbrief and unsecured bank bonds, they represent an important pillar in the Bank's long-term funding mix, which in turn benefits our clients.
