Real IS to step up institutional client activities

German fund manager Real IS will focus on expanding its newly launched business line for the development of institutional products in the next 12 months, CEO Georg Jewgrafow told PropertyEU in an interview at EXPO REAL.

The company announced in June that it was launching the Global Investment Solutions business with the aim to acquire largescale assets and make these available to German institutional investors.

‘We have been seeing strong interest in the German real estate market on the part of US and Asian investors and therefore the improval of our institutional fund business is our main priority at the moment,’ said Jewgrafow.

Real IS currently manages around €2.1 bn for institutional clients and another €4.8 bn for private investors.

The company has raised around €600 mln of equity so far this year, and has acquired and sold assets for a total of around €900 mln, up nearly 50% year-on-year, added Jewgrafow.

'We are planning to invest in Spain for the first time next year,' the CEO noted. 'We are just waiting for the outcome of the general elections later this year to dissipate the uncertainty over Catalunia's independence. But we are already looking at investments in the market.'