Mandarine Group, a Paris-listed property company, has acquired the Luxembourg-registered real estate company Mandalux for about EUR 111 mln. Mandalux's capital consists of 4 million shares in companies active in Morocco and Switzerland. The French company will focus on building, marketing and managing of developments in these two countries. The group said it is planning to move into more countries within the 27-member European Union, starting with France and Spain.

Mandarine Group, a Paris-listed property company, has acquired the Luxembourg-registered real estate company Mandalux for about EUR 111 mln. Mandalux's capital consists of 4 million shares in companies active in Morocco and Switzerland. The French company will focus on building, marketing and managing of developments in these two countries. The group said it is planning to move into more countries within the 27-member European Union, starting with France and Spain.

Mandarine Group is already developing four projects in Morocco, building 1,664 residential units, an 18-hole golf course, three luxury hotels with a total of 260 rooms, a wellness and fitness centre, 3,000 m2 of offices and 1,400 m2 of shops, for a combined investment of EUR 363 mln over the next four years. In Switzerland, Mandarine Group is currently acquiring a portfolio of residential apartments and commercial buildings. The group has set up the MandImmo Fund, a property investment fund intended as a vehicle for its Swiss properties. The fund will be managed by Swiss real estate specialist ImmoFund.

Jean-Marie Santander, Mandarine Group's Chairman, said: 'Mandarine Group will operate in the fast-growing real estate and hotels sector, with the focus on tourist properties in Morocco . The Group should achieve rapid growth in this stable, rapidly expanding economy.' The company is planning to seek a listing for its shares on the Casablanca stock exchange, for which it is currently in talks with Société Générale Marocaine des Banques (SGMB).