Central and Eastern Europe is the region with the fastest growth rate in the world for Microsoft Business Solutions (MBS), however, Romania has still to make it into the top five countries.

MBS turnover in Central and Eastern Europe is expected to rise by 22-25% during this fiscal year (ending on June 30, 2008), with Romania forecast to generate between 3.8% and 4% of revenues, Jean-Christophe Berthier, a marketing lead for Central and Eastern Europe at MBS, told ZF.

"We basically have 5 countries (Russia, Poland, Czech Republic, Hungary, and Greece) who are doing 75% of the business. The next level: countries below 5%, but Romania is on top of them, that's why it has a huge potential," added Berthier.

TAROM, the leader of the airline market in Romania, posted a 33% increase in traffic in the first nine months, to 1.3 million passengers, according to the Association of European Airlines (AEA), based on new flights to Italy and Spain. The regular airline market in Romania will increase by 20% to 360 million euros this year, according to the International Air Transport Association.

"The nine-month turnover is higher, yet not necessarily proportionate with the number of passengers transported," said Sorin Georgescu, TAROM's executive vice-president of marketing and sales.
TAROM reported a 25% increase in revenues from international flights in the middle of the year, to a total 110 million euros.

Private equity fund Polish Enterprise Fund V (PEF V) has sold the Artima supermarket network to the French retailer Carrefour for 55 million euros, three times as much as Artima's original investment in the business. "In 2005, Enterprise Investors (EI) carried out investments worth 17 million euros in Artima, through Polish Enterprise Fund V. The investment was not supplemented by capital increases or other types of investments from the fund. The development of the supermarket chain, during the time when EI was a shareholder, was conducted exclusively through the company's own resources," said representatives of Enterprise Investors. They added that the fund was actively seeking Romanian companies with a high growth potential, for an investment worth 20-60 million euros.

The rising number of tourists in the wake of EU integration and investments worth 8m euros in the modernisation of outlets are expected to help McDonald's turnover and net projected income increase by 30% and 25%, respectively, this year. The fast-food network is hindered from more aggressive expansion by the shortage of commercial space and a migrating workforce.

McDonald's restaurants in the first nine months of this year posted turnover worth around 75m euros, 30% higher than in the same period last year, and by yearend is expected to generate turnover worth 90m euros and net income worth 8.5m euros.

"By late 2007, we will open another 2 restaurants in Cluj and reach 53 nationwide.