Pictet Alternative Advisors, the Geneva-based firm that just weeks ago launched its maiden direct property fund, has appointed Charles Baigler as head of private equity real estate acquisitions in Europe.

Charles Baigler

Charles Baigler

Baigler joined last month, it has emerged, having been with CBRE Global Investors for the past 5 years where he was fund manager of the company’s Europe Value Partners Fund Series and previously head of European transactions for Global Investment Partners.

News of his joining comes three months after Pictet announced the launch of Pictet Real Estate Capital - Elevation I to take advantage of direct property deals in Europe.

The strategy is to invest in direct property assets in 'smart' and gateway European cities. ‘Such cities are at the forefront of economic digitalisation and enjoy favourable demographics from strong urbanisation trends,’ the firm said at the time.

Elevation I will follow a value-add investment and management strategy and is managed by a 14-person team under Zsolt Kohalmi, global head of real estate.

Headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland, Pictet employs more than 4,300 people with 27 offices.

Pictet Alternative Advisors is the Pictet Group’s wholly owned entity responsible for investments in hedge funds, private equity and real estate and employs close to 70 alternative investment specialists and manages around €2 bn of real estate as of December 2018.