Catalyst Capital's Peter Kasch to retire

Catalyst Capital, the European real estate investment and asset management firm, has announced that co-founder Peter Kasch has decided to retire.

Kasch will leave Catalyst at the end of September.

He jointly founded Catalyst with Julian Newiss in 2000 through a buyout of the European division of Greenwich Group International, a global real estate investment banking and marketing group.

Kasch’s retirement coincides with the launch of Catalyst’s second European property fund, Catalyst European Property Fund II (CEPF II).

'At 64 years it is time for a shift of direction,' Kasch explained. 'I decided not to commit myself to the new fund, which could be nine years, and instead will renew old interests long sidelined.'

Kasch intends to work with not-for-profit organisations in the southeast in affordable and social housing and to make seed investments in for-profit businesses in the developing world that also have a direct positive social mpact. 'Playing more bad golf is not on my agenda,' he added.

Kasch will maintain an association with Catalyst through personal investments.

Co-founder Julian Newiss commented: 'Peter has been my close partner for the last 12 years and has made a significant contribution to the business. He was instrumental in building the Catalyst presence in France, our first office outside London, as well as leading the initiative into fund management, and for that we will always be grateful. While the firm is well-equipped to carry on without him, we will certainly miss him and wish him well in his future endeavours.'

Headquartered in London with offices in Frankfurt, Paris and Warsaw, Catalyst Capital has invested more than €4.5 bn in real estate assets, including more than €1.1 bn in 35 shopping centres.