CBRE Global Investors transacts €14b worldwide in 2014

CBRE Global Investors completed $17.3 bn (€14.1 bn) in transactions globally in 2014, with Europe accounting for well over half of this figure, the company announced on Friday.

Overall, the group forked out €7.5 bn on new purchases for funds and separate accounts, with disposals accounting for the remaining €6.5 bn. The acquisitions volume represents a 55% increase over 2013 and the firm’s highest figure since 2007.

In total, the European division generated transactions of €8.2 bn in 2014, with most of the activity concentrated in the UK, the Netherlands and Spain. Over 50% of all European transactions were in the retail sector. In the US, transactions totalled €4.5 bn while in Asia transaction volume totalled more than €1.3 bn.

'With extensive on-the-ground real estate expertise in 21 countries around the globe, we were very proactive portfolio managers in 2014 to serve the best interests of our clients,' said Matt Khourie, CEO of CBRE Global Investors. 'In conjunction with our strong 2014 capital raising, we were very successful sourcing and executing on compelling strategic opportunities to invest that capital. At the same time, we also took advantage of a healthy sales environment with strong buyer demand to effectively dispose of assets for the benefit of our investors.”

In the US, the firm - 'encouraged by improving fundamentals' - invested primarily in the office and multifamily sectors, Khourie said. 'We actively invested in markets that have a strong technology focus, as well as those that appeal to prospective tenants due to their lower costs and favourable business climate.'

In Europe, the company took advantage of a broad range of acquisition and sale opportunities amid the recovery of many of the region’s economies, said Pieter Hendrikse, CEO EMEA. 'We disposed of non-strategic assets in line with investor requirements and fund cycles and were successful in deploying capital across a wide range of stock selection criteria.'

In 2014, CBRE GI raised €7 bn of capital in its non-securities businesses, compared to €4.1 bn in 2013 and €3 bn in 2012. This was driven by considerable growth from clients in Europe, the Middle East, and Asia awarding new mandates. The investment momentum is expected to continue in 2015, Khourie said.

'We are well-positioned to continue taking advantage of opportunities that meet the criteria of our various investment vehicles globally as we see most markets continue to recover.'