Real estate investment manager GPT Halverton said on Monday that it has expanded its European presence with the opening of a new office in Lyon - its second office in France.

Real estate investment manager GPT Halverton said on Monday that it has expanded its European presence with the opening of a new office in Lyon - its second office in France.

GPT Halverton also announced that Sébastien Nida has been appointed to manage the new office in Lyon. He joins GPT Halverton from CB Richard Ellis where he was a valuer specialising in the Rhône-Alpes region. GPT Halverton's Lyon office will complement its existing European operations, which now include eleven office locations throughout the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Sweden, Denmark and the Netherlands.

'The opening of our second office in France is a further step in our progress. We remain committed to building our presence across Europe with local, on-theground knowledge and this office gives us excellent coverage for growing our portfolio of assets in the region', said Richard Croft, Chief Executive of GPT Halverton.

Since inception in 2004, GPT Halverton manages over EUR115mln in assets in France comprising 24 properties situated in regional locations with more than 200 tenancies. In a statement, GPT Halverton said it aims to continue growing assets under management in France and will be actively seeking out investment and fund opportunities over the coming year.