Union Investment Real Estate has appointed Christoph Eichbaum to its now eight-strong investment management hospitality team headed by Andreas Löcher, as of 1 August.
According to the firm, Eichbaum will be responsible for hotel transactions in the DACH region - Germany, Austria and Switzerland - a key focus of the Union Investment portfolio with a current total of 46 hotels worth €3.8 bn.
A real estate economist (IRE|BS) and business studies graduate, Eichbaum previously spent eight years at Ernst & Young Real Estate, most recently as a director.
'The members of our investment management hospitality team combine professional hotel sector expertise with a deep understanding of the real estate markets,' said Löcher.'With his knowledge gained from advising clients in this area, Christoph Eichbaum is an excellent addition to our team.'
Union Investment's hotel portfolio in Europe and the US currently comprises 70 properties with a total value of around €5.6 bn.
Among the most recent transactions in the DACH region are the acquisition of a portfolio which includes hotels in Dresden, Oberhausen, Eschborn and Freiburg, and the acquisition of a double hotel development by UBM, comprising a Holiday Inn and a Super 8 hotel, at Berliner Tor in Hamburg.
