PM betting on IT and auto industries, while managers prefer energy and construction

Managers questioned by Business Standard say that energy, construction and pharmaceuticals are to register the most significant medium-term growth, while Prime Minister Calin Popescu Tariceanu says Romania should bet on the IT and auto industries in the coming years.

“We are the most important car manufacturers in Southeastern Europe and now, with Ford investing in Romania, we can become the most important manufacturers in Central Europe,” the Prime Minister said on Friday, during a visit to the Marquardt Schaltsysteme car parts production unit in the central city of Sibiu.

However, managers say the local energy sector could attract significant investments in the coming years. “If we talk about the construction of the two reactors at Cernavoda [nuclear plant], investments in the modernization of the thermal heating system, or investments in renewable energy, we can count on significant funds. These could turn Romania into a regional leader and a net energy exporter,” said CEZ Romania Business Development Manager, Doru Voicu.

According to KPMG’s Mergers and Acquisitions Partner Wilson Balachandra, the most attractive fields for foreign investors are production and construction, but pharmaceuticals and distribution are also appealing. “Investors most interested in the Romanian market in 2008 are private equity funds and companies from Central and Eastern Europe, especially Poland and Hungary,” he added.