BNP Paribas Real Estate Investment Management (BNP Paribas REIM) has appointed Benoit de la Boulaye to head up its UK business.
De la Boulaye has over 14 years of investment management experience and started his career in Paris. He has worked for BNP Paribas REIM since 2011. In 2019, he joined the firm's London office, tasked with building a dedicated team while also overseeing the separate account and mandate management activities for the entire business line in Europe.
In 2020, BNP Paribas REIM emphasised its commitment to the UK market further by making Claus Thomas, member of BNP Paribas REIM’s executive committee (ExCo), responsible for overseeing the UK business on an ExCo level.
Said Thomas: 'Benoit is a highly experienced investment management expert and longstanding member of the BNP Paribas REIM team. With his track record and the support of an outstanding team of experts, we are well placed to deliver our ambitious plans for the UK market.
'Brexit and Covid-19 have both presented unprecedented challenges for real estate but we are optimistic about the future and our continued growth in the UK market.'
De la Boulaye will lead the firm's strategic growth plan for the market, supported by key investment management professionals, including Martin Francis, responsible for operations & asset management; Jack McCarron, responsible for investment and divestment; and Niamh Canavan, responsible for institutional sales and investor relations.
Said De la Boulaye: 'The UK is a strategically important market for us where we see vast potential for long-term growth. BNP Paribas REIM has for more than half a century provided international institutional investors and private individuals with investment management services, giving us in-depth understanding of managing real estate investments of varying scale and complexity.
'Our focus is now to continue to grow our dedicated service offer in the UK and we have ambitious plans to become one of the most innovative and ESG driven firms.
'Our recent launch of the European Impact Property Fund (EIPF), demonstrates our true commitment to the green agenda. It is the first property fund, compliant with the 2015 Paris Agreement and targets a 40% reduction of Greenhouse Gas Emissions within 10 years. ESG is already a key driver for investment decisions and this trend will only continue going forward,' De la Boulaye concluded.
