Cornerstone Real Estate Advisers has appointed Chris Bates as its head of European Real Estate Finance as part of its strategy to expand its $27 bn US real estate debt platform internationally.
Cornerstone Real Estate Advisers has appointed Chris Bates as its head of European Real Estate Finance as part of its strategy to expand its $27 bn US real estate debt platform internationally.
Reporting to Charles Weeks, Cornerstone Europe’s CEO, Bates will be responsible for the origination and execution of real estate debt investment opportunities.
Bates will also be responsible for building up a team as the European debt investment platform grows, both in terms of assets under management and geographic reach outside of the UK.
Bates has over 19 years experience in the UK real estate market, including 10 years in senior roles at The Royal Bank of Scotland where he was real estate managing director in Secured Debt Markets, focussed on the UK but also having responsibility for core European markets including France and Germany.
Prior to RBS, Bates held principal positions at GE Capital Real Estate and Chelsfield, having qualified as a Chartered Surveyor at King Sturge. He has most recently worked at Harville where he was a founding partner.
Cornerstone first entered the European real estate lending market in August 2012 with the completion of an £83 mln refinancing for Derwent London. The deal was one of $3.5 bn of real estate debt transactions undertaken by Cornerstone in 2012.
