Forton International was established in the spring of 2005 as an off-shoot company from Address Real Estate which is Bulgaria’s largest real estate company and part of AG Capital. Forton’s creation was a natural response aimed at meeting the fast growing demand in an under-served market niche.

Back in the mid-2000s, Bulgaria’s real estate market was heated from the boom in residential development and investors were looking to follow the same path in the commercial property sector. In those years, the number of sod turning ceremonies for office, retail, industrial and mixed-use projects were growing by the tens and the need for commercial property advisory was acute,  similar to the already busy residential real estate advisory business.

In grasping the fundamental difference in the nature of the two businesses – one being oriented towards end clients, while the other served businesses, Address Real Estate owner Christo Iliev decided to separate commercial property advisory from the residential business and signed a partnership contract with Cushman & Wakefield (C&W), the world’s largest privately held commercial property advisory company. In 2005, Address Real Estate formed a company out of its commercial property advisory department that became Forton International. Forton was C&W’s associate office from the outset, with the prospect to become its representative in the Balkans.

The partnership produced immediate results. C&W and Forton jointly advised Tishman International on a greenfield office/logistics project in Sofia – Sofia Airport Center. From C&W referrals, Forton completed its first individual projects, including the relocation of a well known pharmaceutical company and a software giant.

During this time, Forton was gaining popularity among international corporate clients and clients who were already established in Bulgaria. Soon the company had as its clientele; BTC, MobilTel, Glavbolgarstroy, banks and investment funds, among others.

By 2008, Cushman & Wakefield and Forton brokered the then-largest retail property transaction in Bulgaria. The sale of Mall Varna to UK property development company Miller Developments as well as the sale of City Center Sofia to Heitman. This helped C&W rank in the top 3 advisory agencies in Europe in terms of investment volume in 2008.

In that same year Forton began its international expansion. With an already tested business model in Bulgaria, the company was now ready to replicate it in neighboring countries. The first international stop was Serbia. One year later, Forton opened its second international office in Macedonia.

Forton International now has full functional coverage of all the main groups of commercial property services. The company works with many of Bulgaria’s Top 100 companies (by turnover). In recognition for these achievements, in 2010 Forton and C&W signed an Alliance Partnership agreement and in doing so took our association to yet another level.