Dutch institutional manager Bouwinvest Real Estate Investors is to open an office in Sydney in a bid to accelerate growth.

Sydney is the location of Bouwinvest''s first office outside the Netherlands.

Sydney is the Location of Bouwinvest''s First Office Outside the Netherlands.

The Australian bureau is Bouwinvest’s first outside the Netherlands and aims to help speed up growth in invested capital in Asia Pacific markets to €1.5 bn by 2021. Bouwinvest, one of the largest Dutch institutional property investors, plans to open a New York branch later this year.

The Dutch asset manager is seeking to diversify its global real estate portfolio, with a target 40% of total AUM in international assets and 60% in domestic funds in the Netherlands.

Stephen Tross, Bouwinvest chief investment officer, international investments, said: ‘The fast-growing Asia-Pacific markets will play a key role in achieving those ambitious growth targets.’

Tjarko Edzes, director APAC, has relocated to Sydney to oversee Bouwinvest’s presence in the region. Edzes, who joined in 2014, will focus on deal sourcing, operating partners and its market networks.

Last year, Bouwinvest completed just under €300 mln in transactions in Asia Pacific, while total international deal volume reached €900 mln.

Edzes said: ‘Bouwinvest’s Asia-Pacific portfolio is on a strong growth trajectory and the new Sydney office is well-located to maintain this momentum and coordinate the expansion strategy, as Australia is currently our largest investment market in the region by asset value.’

Bouwinvest Real Estate Investors is one of the largest Dutch institutional property investors with €11.3 bn invested in global markets. It aims to grow its total AUM to about €15 bn by 2021.