The business succession in Torus developer company, announced and initiated several years ago, has reached its climax. Sławomir Gajewski, who served as the President of the Board since the very beginning of the company’s market existence, stepped down and became a member of the newly-established supervisory board, where he will support the development of the company, hand in hand with other co-owners. Przemysław Ryś, who was a member of the Torus’ management board already for some time, preparing himself to take over the company’s helm, serving as the COO, was appointed a new chairman. The board was further strengthened by the inclusion of Tomasz Pietrzkiewicz, a Chief Financial Officer at Torus.
- The formula within which I head Torus in the executive function has worn off. It was already a few years ago when I concluded I would be able to contribute to the company in another configuration. Subsequently, jointly in the ownership group, we initiated the succession process. As soon as one year after the initial talks, we drew up a specific plan which we announced to the team, and launched its steady implementation into the life of the organization. Now came the time to give up the president’s office room … - says Sławomir Gajewski, the now-departed Torus CEO, head of supervisory board. – It is a thoroughly pre-planned, intentional change, which – I am certain – will yield a lot of good for Torus down the road, and enable us to keep surprising the market while achieving further successes. For years, we had been concentrating our actions in the office segment, but the situation on the market has changed. Torus is evolving as well, getting ready for new challenges and investments. Although it will be from another position, but I will support the further growth of the company tapping into my vast experience – he adds.
- Business and sport share multiple analogies. Sławek Gajewski is a major player, a well-known figure on the property market, having skippered the Torus team for many years. Even though he could keep on playing and ‘governing’ on an exceptional level, he chose to pass on the captain’s armband, shortly after registering yet another success in the form of the sales transaction of the fully-leased Format, an office building located in Gdańsk. He is not retiring, though, nor bidding farewell to the real estate world which he knows and likes so much. Now, from another perspective, without the need for performing operational day-to-day management, he will observe, motivate, advise, and support, utilizing his immense experience – says Przemysław Ryś, Torus CEO. – The real mastery in creating a team, or developing a business or career, can be found in the ability of acknowledging oneself in a new role, according to the respective situation, needs, and capabilities. Cristiano Ronaldo, a famous football player, was leaving Real Madrid as one of the best players in the club’s history, upon winning multiple trophies, the fact which many found surprising. Chairman Gajewski was not afraid to take a decision about the change either, which might be considered incomprehensible for the onlookers. Nonetheless, from within the organization, we know full well it is a well-thought-through and planned-out process. It is an element of the continuity design of the team and organization – perhaps not commonly recognized on the market, but Torus has always liked to be one step ahead – he adds.
The new form of the Torus organization structure, with a two-person management board, along with the supervisory board, constitutes the foundation for making another significant step in the company’s development. It also provides the answer to the complexity and magnitude of projects the team is working on at present.
- We are currently finalizing the commercialization process of Officyna, while holding subsequent talks with prospective tenants of office building Punkt, whose attractive location, right next to Gdańsk Wrzeszcz train station, draws sizeable interest. Simultaneously, we are putting finishing touches to the construction of Gdynia City Logistics, a warehousing facility. Thus, we still remain active on the commercial property market; however, in the near future, we are planning to greatly expand the portfolio of our investments. We shall enter the market with intriguing new projects as early as several months away. The new challenges do call for the reinforcements of our team, and assuming responsibility for the future outcomes. Therefore, the appointment of Tomek into the management board, is part of a broader strategy – comments Przemysław Ryś.
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Przemysław Ryś, Torus CEO
Przemek joined Torus in 2022 in order to support the company on the management and operational levels. In March 2023, he became an official member of the board of directors, whilst assuming the position of Chief Operations Officer, taking over the position of the management board chairman in mid-2024.
Alongside the official external representation of the company, he holds responsibility for the effective day-to-day functioning of the firm. Engaged in multiple areas – strategy and development, budgeting, purchasing, leasing, communication, employee-related matters, and ESG, among many others. His role also embraces the ongoing supervision and optimization of operations of particular departments.
In agreement with respective owners, while cooperating with the team, being supported by Sławomir Gajewski, a now-departed long-standing company’s chairman and co-owner, he realizes a long-term developmental vision of the company, whose objective is to increase the investment activity, as well as the diversification of business.
Throughout his entire professional career, he was tied to the sales area. For over eight years, he was working in Smurfit Westrock (current name), a world leading company within the paper packaging industry. He was held accountable for relations with clients in the framework of global contracts conducted by the Polish subsidiary. Ultimately, as a sales director, he managed a 50-people-strong team. Before, he had been professionally related to Exide Technologies, a leader in battery production, where he forged relations with key accounts. He also boasts experience on the trade-linked position at Exact Software, an IT company.
He graduated from the Faculty of Social Sciences at Adam Mickiewicz University in Poznań, whilst also completing post-graduate studies in controlling at Wyższa Szkoła Bankowa.
Tomasz Pietrzkiewicz, board member and CFO at Torus
Tomek joined Torus in May 2020 assuming the position of Financial Director, and is now set to represent the company also as a board member. He is held accountable for the entirety of finances of Torus, and Torus Capital Group as well, which include i.e. accounting, controlling, and tax-related matters. His main task is to secure external financing for the realization of investment projects. Moreover, alongside the board members and respective owners, he actively participates in the construction and execution of the development strategy of Torus Group. He is also involved in key negotiations and conducting purchasing and sales transactions of real estate.
Tomek boast nearly twenty years’ worth of experience in managing finances in large organizations. He has gained experience, among others, in consulting companies, such as Arthur Andersen and Ernst & Young (currently EY), while also running multiple projects for large-size production and commercial enterprises. He is also experienced in building sizeable sales organizations (start-ups). For some time, he engaged in the energy sector, with Grupa Azoty S.A among others, where he managed one of subsidiary companies trading agricultural chemicals. He also ran his own economic activity, immersing in financial advisory services and optimization processes.
Tomek graduated from Akademia Ekonomiczna in Cracow (major: finances and banking), having completed Executive MBA studies at Warsaw Technical University and London Business School as well.
Privately, he is keen on travelling and martial arts.
