The consulting firm Drees & Sommer SE, headquartered in Stuttgart, has once again achieved top rankings at the Real Estate Brand Awards 2026. These awards, presented by the European Real Estate Brand Institute, are based on the evidence-based REB Brand Value Study, which proves brand strength based on human-centric leadership. The results confirm the company's ongoing relevance as one of the strongest brands within the European real estate sector.
Drees & Sommer defended its top positions in the German and Austrian markets. In Germany, the company secured first place in the categories “Integrated Real Estate Manager” and “Project Manager”. In Austria, it also achieved first place as “Project Manager”. In a European comparison, Drees & Sommer ranked among the top 10, achieving seventh place in the “Integrated Real Estate Managers” category. A fourth place in the regional ranking for the Benelux countries complemented these successes.
In addition to the corporate awards, leading personalities were also honoured. Steffen Szeidl once again received the title “CEO of the Year 2026”, an award that confirms his strong brand impact and leadership performance. Sandro Brand was also recognised again as “CMO of the Year 2026”. These individual awards underscore the influence of leadership on the corporate brand, which is assessed using clearly defined performance indicators. Szeidl's continuous confirmation since the inaugural award in 2024 highlights his leadership approach, which consistently drives innovation, internationalisation, and sustainable transformation.
An additional, significant honour was the Award for “Corporate Reliability 2026”, presented to Drees & Sommer for the highest corporate reliability in the entire industry. This special award is based on scientifically collected key figures and underscores the trust in the company’s working methods. The internationally active consulting firm, which is managed as a partnership, employs over 6,500 people worldwide at more than 80 locations and serves clients in the Real Estate, Infrastructure, and Industry segments. In 2025, Drees & Sommer achieved revenues of over one billion EUR for the first time.
Sandra Brand, Partner and Chief Marketing Officer of Drees & Sommer SE, explained that the brand is based on clear leadership, innovative implementation, and the aspiration to be understood in the market. The goal is not just to convey content, but to create relevant contributions in the market, with people and their projects at the centre, making the services tangible. Steffen Szeidl added that the company's success is a collective achievement and that employees translate the corporate strategy into concrete results daily, thereby sustaining the brand in the long term.
The Real Estate Brand Awards are based on the results of the REB Brand Value Study 2026. For this study, over 8,800 evaluations from industry experts were analysed. More than 1,100 corporate brands were examined across 23 sub-sectors and 47 European markets using defined brand KPIs. The awards are granted exclusively on the basis of this empirical data, without the need for a jury or company submissions.
