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Gabor Czike
Partner

Gábor Czike

Head of Real Estate and Construction, Hungary

Budapest, Hungary
Save contact
Languages
  • Hungarian
  • English
Social media

Gábor is a partner of CMS Budapest and head of the Real Estate & Construction Group. He also coordinates the Hotels & Leisure Team at CMS Hungary.

He has more than 20 years’ experience in advising many of the major market players on a full range of legal issues affecting the real estate and the hotels & leisure sectors. Gábor advises on every aspect of the hotel industry, including hotel acquisitions, hotel and resort construction and development projects, management agreements and leases, financing and structuring, tax-related matters and operational issues, often with a cross-border element.

Besides of this he has substantial experience in the field of environmental law and ESG as well and advises clients on all matters related to these specific areas.

Due to his active involvement in the property market, RICS, the world's leading professional body for qualifications and standards in land, property and construction, invited him to become a member as the first Hungarian lawyer amongst RICS members.

As a recognised lawyer and expert in the real estate and hotels & leisure sectors, Gábor speaks regularly at national and international conferences and seminars.

Gábor is recommended by both Legal 500 and Chambers and Partners in Real Estate.

Awards & Recognitions
01 –
  • Quote
    "He's a very good negotiator."
    Chambers, 2023
  • Quote
    "He knows the markets inside out and is an expert on all things real estate. This particular expertise is always allowing him to contribute to the successful closing of our transactions."
    Legal 500, 2022
  • Quote
    "Probably one of the best real estate lawyers on the market. I got to know him as a trustworthy, dedicated and fast-thinking lawyer."
    Chambers Europe 2022
  • Quote
    "Gábor Czike can cover pretty much anything."
    Chambers Europe 2022
  • Quote
    "We have developed a very friendly relationship with him and, as such, we manage to tackle complicated issues in large cases".
    Chambers 2021
  • Quote
    "An outstanding and great lawyer, who is well known and respected. He has significant experience of handling real estate transactions, such as acquisitions, joint ventures, new investments and constructions. He is a real professional, one of the most experienced in the industry”.
    Legal 500, 2021
  • Quote
    "Devoted and energetic."
    Chambers, 2020
  • Quote
    "Gábor Czike knows what to focus on and how to make the deal happen."
    Legal 500, 2020
  • Quote
    He is great in what he does and always finds the best solutions in complicated cases.
    Chambers, 2016
  • Quote
    Gábor Czike is praised for his "high-quality work, and for thinking for himself rather than awaiting instructions from the client."
    Chambers, 2015

Relevant experience

  • Forestay Group on the lease and financing structure of a student housing project. The final owner of the student housing project became a Hungarian real estate fund which required extensive licensing and compliance procedures.
  • A Hungarian property management and leasing company, the owner of a Budapest downtown 4* hotel on the asset sale of the hotel to a foreign real estate fund.
  • A Hungarian property management and leasing company on the letting of a built-to-suit hotel development to a major international chain.
  • A fund managed by a major real estate company on the acquisition of the largest shopping centre in Szeged.
  • Recovery 
    • on the sale of a SZOT Hotel in Budapest.
    • on the sale of a yacht harbour at Lake Balaton in Hungary. 
  • Bedori Investment on the leasing of a new hotel development of MEININGER Hotels in Hungary.
  • A major Chinese investor on the planned acquisition of a hotel located in Siófok, Hungary.
  • CIB Bank on the restructuring of the financing of a major hotel in Budapest.

Publications

  • Changes in the retail sector (article in Hungarian) – Napi Gazdaság
  • Once upon a store (article in Hungarian) – Napi Gazdaság
  • The impact of closed Sundays on lease contracts (article in Hungarian) – Napi Gazdaság

Memberships & Roles

  • Member, FRICS, RICS
  • Member, Budapest Bar Association

Lectures list

  • Speaker, Portfolio - RICS Property Valuation Conference 2015 
  • Speaker, Portfolio.hu Property Investment Forum 2012

Education

  • 1998 - Diploma in EU Law, The University of Aalborg, Aalborg, Denmark
  • 1995 - Doctor of Law, József Attila University, Szeged, Hungary

Gábor is a partner of CMS Budapest and head of the Real Estate & Construction Group. 

Gábor has more than 20 years’ experience in advising many of the major market players on a full range of legal issues, including property acquisitions, developments, constructions and leasing involving retail, office, warehouse and residential properties. He also has extensive experience in all property related legal issues including stamp duty, environmental protection, planning and construction matters, as well as issues affecting the hotel & leisure sector. 

Besides of this he has substantial experience in the field of environmental law and ESG as well and advises clients on all matters related to these specific areas.

Due to his active involvement in the property market, RICS, the world's leading professional body for qualifications and standards in land, property and construction, invited him to become a member as the first Hungarian lawyer amongst RICS members.

Gábor is recommended by both Legal 500 and Chambers and Partners in Real Estate.

Awards & Recognitions
01 –
  • Quote
    "He's a very good negotiator."
    Chambers, 2023
  • Quote
    "Gábor Czike can cover pretty much anything."
    Chambers Europe 2022
  • Quote
    "Probably one of the best real estate lawyers on the market. I got to know him as a trustworthy, dedicated and fast-thinking lawyer."
    Chambers Europe 2022
  • Quote
    "He knows the markets inside out and is an expert on all things real estate. This particular expertise is always allowing him to contribute to the successful closing of our transactions."
    Legal 500, 2022
  • Quote
    "An outstanding and great lawyer, who is well known and respected. He has significant experience of handling real estate transactions, such as acquisitions, joint ventures, new investments and constructions. He is a real professional, one of the most experienced in the industry”.
    Legal 500, 2021
  • Quote
    "We have developed a very friendly relationship with him and, as such, we manage to tackle complicated issues in large cases".
    Chambers 2021
  • Quote
    "Gábor Czike knows what to focus on and how to make the deal happen."
    Legal 500, 2020
  • Quote
    "Devoted and energetic."
    Chambers, 2020
  • Quote
    He is great in what he does and always finds the best solutions in complicated cases.
    Chambers, 2016
  • Quote
    Gábor Czike is praised for his "high-quality work, and for thinking for himself rather than awaiting instructions from the client."
    Chambers, 2015

Relevant experience

  • Goodman 
    • on the development of the largest, multi-billion-forint greenfield logistics facility in Hungary.
    • on an 80.000 sqm built-to-suit warehouse letting.
  • Atenor 
    • on the acquisition and lease agreements of a 19,000 sqm of land on the main road corridors in Budapest.
    • on the sale of four buildings (A, B, C and D) in the Váci Green complex in Budapest to various companies.
    • on the acquisition and development of an office building development (approximately 40,000 sqm GLA) in the XIII District of Budapest.
  • Pepco on the planned development of Pepco’s new regional distribution center in Gyál-Hungary.
  • One of the largest shopping malls on the full restructuring of the operation and the subsequent sale in Hungary.
  • Siemens on the sale and leaseback of its nearly 40,000 sqm site on Gizella Road in Budapest, Hungary.
  • A Hungarian property management and leasing company on the letting of a built-to-suit hotel development to a major international chain.
  • A major German OEM on all issues concerning greenfield developments, including real estate (potential expropriation, construction permits, site acquisition, etc.), foreign investments and state aid law, corporate structure and tax.
  • A fund managed by a major real estate company on the acquisition of the largest shopping centre in Szeged.

Publications

  • Changes in the retail sector (article in Hungarian) – Napi Gazdaság
  • Once upon a store (article in Hungarian) – Napi Gazdaság
  • The impact of closed Sundays on lease contracts (article in Hungarian) – Napi Gazdaság

Memberships & Roles

  • Member, FRICS, RICS 
  • Member, Budapest Bar Association

Lectures list

  • Speaker, Portfolio - RICS Property Valuation Conference 2015 
  • Speaker, Portfolio.hu Property Investment Forum 2012

Education

  • 1998 - Diploma in EU Law, The University of Aalborg, Aalborg, Denmark
  • 1995 - Doctor of Law, József Attila University, Szeged, Hungary
Practice Areas
Real Estate Environment
sectors
Hospitality, Travel & Leisure

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