Pan-European real estate investment manager AEW Europe has raised a total of EUR 1.5 bn in fresh capital commitments in a number of new separate accounts and funds managed by the company, with the majority of mandates signed towards the end of last year.

Pan-European real estate investment manager AEW Europe has raised a total of EUR 1.5 bn in fresh capital commitments in a number of new separate accounts and funds managed by the company, with the majority of mandates signed towards the end of last year.

AEW Europe CEO Christian Delaire said: 'To have raised this volume of capital from new and existing clients in a challenging market environment represents a strong endorsement of AEW Europe’s investment strategies, teams and performance.'

AEW Europe is currently working on a number of new investment initiatives ranging from debt strategies through to real estate sector-focused funds.

The company has commenced capital raising for its logistics fund Logistis, which owns a portfolio of Grade A assets with a value of EUR 1 bn and is also launching a new private equity real estate fund, which will focus on the market distress and lack of debt funding in Europe.

AEW Europe’s total assets under management rose nearly 9% last year to EUR 18.6 bn, accompanied by a continued high level of transactions for the firm.

The investment manager was ranked in second place in PropertyEU's provisional ranking earlier this year of top direct property investors.

Since then, more transaction data has emerged, with AXA Real Estate replacing Blackstone as the largest investor in 2011. AEW Europe is in third place at EUR 1.9 bn, behind Blackstone which saw its figures revised down to EUR 2.3 bn and AXA Real Estate at EUR 2.6 bn.

The final ranking appears in the March edition of PropertyEU Magazine. Click on the link below to subscribe: