Sightway Capital, part of New York-based hedge fund Two Sigma, is launching a new commercial real estate (CRE) lending platform providing middle-market loans across Europe.
The platform, called Starz Real Estate, will be led by industry veterans David Arzi as CEO, Heather Jones as COO, and Limor Shilo as head of loan origination.
It will offer loans to borrowers for properties that have historically been underserved by traditional bank lenders. Starz's expected loan size will range from €10-50 mln with loan-to-value ratios of up to 75%.
'We are excited to be partnering with David Arzi and the Starz team to launch this commercial real estate lending platform in Europe,' said Wray Thorn, chief investment officer at Sightway Capital. 'I'm confident in David, Heather, and Limor's ability to lead Starz and capitalize on the opportunity to build a significant franchise in this market.'
Arzi has over three decades of CRE experience, and previously built and led the US real estate lending business and the European CRE business at Marathon Asset Management. He is well versed in sourcing, structuring, and negotiating CRE loans as well as analyzing, structuring, and purchasing asset-backed and mortgage-backed securities.
'I am excited to partner with Sightway as we launch this innovative new platform for commercial real estate borrowers,' Arzi said. 'Our experienced team is well positioned to deliver borrower-friendly financing solutions on a timely basis to this underserved market.'
The Starz platform plans to provide loans to borrowers for property acquisitions and recapitalizations of existing assets. Starz also has the ability to structure future fundings for property improvements and lease-up.
'Post-financial crisis, many credit-worthy borrowers have been shut out of the European bank market,' said Brandon Johnson, investment partner at Sightway Capital. 'At the same time, underlying market fundamentals support continued demand for CRE financing. The Starz strategy is to meet the needs of these underserved borrowers.'
Heather Jones joined Starz following her role as COO at Deutsche Bank in the European CRE lending platform. Over her 20-year career she has held senior roles in CRE lending and structured finance markets.
Limor Shilo joined Starz following her role as director of debt origination at Deutsche Bank. She originated over €2.0 bn of new loans across various asset classes including development, transitional offices, retail, hospitality, and NPL financings.