15.01.2009 Karl-Heinz Pfohe: Investments in Bulgaria Offer Good Return Rate

Wirtschaftsblatt Monthly

MOTO-PFOHE is one of the first private motor companies in Bulgaria, established in 1991. The company is the official importer and distributor of Ford, Volvo, Jaguar and Land Rover for Bulgaria. The company is owned by the German motor company Hugo Pfohe which has been operating successfully on the German market for 90 years.

For its 17 years on the Bulgarian market MOTO-PFOHE has been expanding dynamically and has earned itself the reputation of a stable and successful company placing it among the market’s leaders.

The company’s owner Mr. Karl-Heinz Pfohe is one of the first investors in Bulgaria and sets the company’s stable investment policy. For over 17 years the company opened dozens of locations for sale and servicing of Ford, Volvo, Jaguar and Land Rover. In the last few years the name of the company has also been connected with the first mall in Varna – Pfohe Mall. The company’s next big investment project is in the ski resort Bansko and is called Belvedere Holiday Club – a gated development offering luxury apartments and a number of amenities and facilities.

Mr. Pfohe, how did you decide to come to Bulgaria and start a business here?

In 1988 I established some contacts which allowed me to start dealing with cars in Bulgaria. As soon as I arrived I saw the country’s future potential for a steady business.

Are you pleased with your business here?

In the last 20 years Moto-Pfohe developed really well. Today, with over 500 people personnel and a total of 17 branches and dealerships around the country, we are among the biggest car companies in Bulgaria and we continue to develop quite successfully.

Your employees are Bulgarian. Are you pleased with their work? Do you find it easy to work with them?

I am especially proud of my employees – motivated and devoted men and women who see to it that we provide the best possible services to our clients on a daily basis. This is supported by the questionnaires filled in by our clients. The satisfaction level is well above the average for Europe.

Could you tell us what impression Bansko makes on a German? What do you think of the resort, what effect does the mountain have on you? What would you say to your fellow-countrymen or to other Europeans who are interested in Bansko?

I find Bansko to be one of the best winter resorts and ski centers in Europe. The town’s administration managed to preserve the style and atmosphere of the town by controlling the issuing of construction permits for new residential units and hotels.

With its 65 km of ski slopes, state-of-the-art facilities and amenities Bansko is among the finest and best positioned European winter resorts.

What is the difference between Bulgaria’s ski resort of Bansko and the mountain resorts in Austria and Switzerland? Does Bansko have the necessary qualities to rival the globally recognized winter resorts?

The comparison is in favor of Bansko due to the fact that this Bulgarian ski resort offers new holiday homes and hotels which have been built in accordance with the latest fashion and standards. They are far more modern and comfortable compared to the somewhat aging buildings in Switzerland and Austria which were built decades ago. The same goes for the sports facilities, the quality of the lifts and the tow-lifts. However, above all Bansko offers the charm of the Bulgarian hospitality which is missing in the ski resorts in Austria and Switzerland. The years of dealing in tourism there has somewhat decreased the genuine pleasure of receiving guests as if receiving them in one’s home.

What is the advantage that you will point out to the potential buyer interested in the possibility of owning a unit in Belvedere Holiday Club? What were the ideas that you implemented during the design and construction stages of the development?

Belvedere Holiday Club offers numerous possibilities for sport and relaxation all year round. With its wonderful location in close proximity to the Gondola and to the mountain Belvedere Holiday Club is without doubt the best and most spectacular gated residential development in Bansko.

Read the whole interview

Belvedere Holiday Club


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