Having joined the GRE Assets team in January 2018 as Senior Construction Project Manager, Carlos Roca plays a vital role by managing the construction department in Spain.
Carlos has worked in the industry for 17 years and has gained experience in managing building, urbanisation and infrastructure projects. He has worked across a variety of different roles, including Site Construction Manager, Project Manager and Developer, which has been instrumental in giving him a global view of the sector.
In this interview, Carlos shares more about what he’s currently working on, as well as what he thinks the Spanish property market has to offer investors considering expanding their portfolio.
What do you do in your role as Senior Construction Project Manager and what does a typical day look like for you?
I have been working for GRE Assets for three and a half busy years. In my role, I participate in the day-to-day management of projects from the site inspection at the acquisition stage and conducting feasibility analysis through to coordinating project teams and delivery.
My main focus is on construction management – ensuring I have our goals in mind every step of the way. At every step of the project lifecycle, I liaise with the different stakeholders including administrators, professionals, contractors and subcontractors to ensure expectations are clear. It is vital to deliver on quality, time and budget.
My days depend on the stage of the open projects that we have, but what is common in any of those stages is allocating a lot of time to planning and coordinating. I do this in order to be a step ahead of any potential problems by identifying risks and planning for all eventualities.
Can you tell us a bit more about some of the projects you’re currently working on and GRE Assets’ work in Spain?
We’ve just completed Brises Diagonal Mar, our flagship project in Barcelona and our first residents have moved in. I’m currently working on supporting the handover to residents, as well as working with the property managers and building managers to get everything ready for the second block to launch.
I’m giving support to the acquisitions team exploring new property and investment opportunities in Spain. This is the exciting first step towards commencing new development projects.
What do you think the Spanish property market offers investors?
Spanish property has traditionally been a very dynamic purchase market, having much lower rates of people renting an apartment compared with the rest of Europe. However, in the past few years, we’ve seen a shift in people’s mindsets, with more people interested in renting apartments. This means there is an important gap in the market and it’s an opportunity for GRE Assets to respond to with Build to Rent projects.
Connect with Carlos on LinkedIn, here.
