GERMANY – Real estate has been identified as an important source of institutional demand by the head of asset management at German private bank Sal Oppenheim.

“Real estate will be an important demand source in the next years,” said Bernd Borgmeier, chief executive of the bank’s asset management arm.

Borgmeier told IPE Real Estate in an interview that real estate funds comprise around 35%, or €10bn, of its institutional business.

And real estate was also being offered to investors in funds alongside other securities, he added, because it helps improve duration and portfolio diversity.

In October the bank announced an expansion of its real estate research capabilities. Kai Klose will join on December 1 as real estate analyst from IVG, where he was involved in M&A and strategic planning.

Oppenheim’s institutional real estate business is run through Oppenheim Immobilien KAG, or OIK.

“We regard ourselves as a real-estate portfolio manager with an integrated approach which incorporates both the strategic (portfolio design) as well as the operational (administrative and technical object management) levels,” the bank says.