NETHERLANDS – Dutch pension group MN Services has revealed it is looking for partnerships in the real estate sector.

The admission comes after a series of real estate executives left the firm earlier this year.

“We’re also looking for partnerships,” said chairman Ruud Hagendijk. Names mentioned included such rivals as Haarlem-based Altera Vastgoed and Achmea.

“Everybody’s talking with each other,” Hagendijk said in an interview – adding that all the players “face the same challenges”.

And he noted that Dutch pension funds are increasingly looking at international real estate and the new countries in the European Union.

Real estate figures such as Erwin Stouthamer, Karin van der Sluijs and Bart Coenraads have all left the €27bn MN this year. Stouthamer set up his own firm and van der Sluijs joined Arlington. Coenraads joined Fortis Investments as chief investment officer for Dutch real estate.