Robert Melia Watson
NewsPan-European retail sustainability standard launched
EUROPE- Bre Global, a property research and consultancy group specialising in the assessment of the environmental and social impact of property developments, has launched what is said to be the first pan-European retail sustainability standard – a ‘green’ code of practice designed to ensure commercial development projects have minimal impact ...
NewsLaxton to head UK charge of Cushman & Wakefield
UK - Cushman & Wakefield, the global real estate consultants and investment firm, has appointed Bryan Laxton as chief executive officer of its UK business from January 2009.
NewsBehringer Harvard opens door to European expansion
EUROPE – Behringer Harvard, the US-based international commercial property investment fund specialists, has extended its European range with several acquisitions in Central Europe.
NewsLondon tops the office expenses
UK - London remains the most expensive office market in the world, according to the latest research by London-based global commercial property investment consultants, CB Richard Ellis (CBRE).
NewsDEGI continues European expansion
BELGIUM – DEGI, the €6bn German specialist property investment group, has bought a major European Union (EU) office complex in Brussels, in a deal worth €90m.
NewsSingapore expected to bounce back strongly
SINGAPORE - Singapore remains the centre of choice in Asia for long-term investors seeking stable real estate investment returns, according to a new survey by iProperty.com.
NewsGerman investors dominate in falling London markets
EUROPE - The Central London commercial property markets are continuing to fall under pressure from the current financial and economic crisis but indicators suggest overseas investors are still willing to consider deals, according to London-based commercial real estate services firm Cushman & Wakefield.
NewsUnion seeks growth through Axa CEO
GERMANY - Hamburg-based investment management firm Union Investment Real Estate (Union) has appointed Karl-Joseph Hermanns-Engel to its management board with specific responsibility for the €14bn firm’s international asset management operations.
NewsRussia to be avoided, warns JP Morgan
RUSSIA - Investors should avoid Russia as a potential area of growth as its property markets will be the hardest hit if the world’s largest country is drawn to the impending global recession, JP Morgan Chase has claimed.
NewsGermany steps in protect Hypo’s funds behind the funds
GERMANY – A consortium of German banks has stepped in at the eleventh hour to provide Hypo Real Estate, a provider of loans and financing to real estate purchases and funds, with assets to meet its financing obligations.
NewsNon-listed real estate stays top buy in poor conditions
EUROPE - Non-listed real estate funds remain the asset class of choice among institutional investors looking to increase their investments in European real estate in turbulent times, according to a study by INREV, the Amsterdam-based European association for investors in non-listed real estate vehicles.
NewsStudent accommodation contrasts economic slowdown
UK - The UK student accommodation sector is continuing to thrive while most other property sectors feel the pinch in tough economic conditions, according to real estate consultancy group King Sturge.
NewsKnight Frank expands Middle East operations
MIDDLE EAST - London-based global real estate management and advisory firm Knight Frank has extended its global network by opening a office in Bahrain to cover the burgeoning Middle Eastern property market.
NewsABP extends hotel holdings in key European cities
EUROPE - Europe’s second-largest pension scheme ABP, the Netherland’s huge €215bn public service fund, has expanded its European real estate portfolio with the purchase of six hotels in Paris, Amsterdam and Düsseldorf.
NewsJones Lang LaSalle reshuffles directors
UNITED STATES - US-based property investment and consultants group Jones Lang LaSalle is reshuffling its senior board in a bid to reinforce its global presence and strategy for expansion.
NewsSchroders expands Nordic team
SCANDINAVIA - Schroder Property, the real estate arm of London-based €164.4bn Schroders, has further strengthened its presence in Scandinavia with the appointment of Ubbe Strihagen as director of business development for the Nordic region.
NewsPropinvest seals largest ever European property deal
SPAIN - London-based real estate investment and management specialist Propinvest has acquired the global headquarters of Spanish banking giant Banco Santander, for €1.9bn – the largest ever European real estate deal.
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NewsAXA REIM steps up Asian presence
ASIA - AXA Real Estate Investment Managers (AXA REIM), the global property arm of French financial services group AXA, has opened an Asian headquarters in Singapore as the springboard for moves into India and Japan.
NewsInvista sees 5-yr German potential
GERMANY - The developed countries in Europe continue to offer the best real estate investment opportunities but Germany is perhaps still the best investment even with current pressures, according to London-based Invista Real Estate Investment Management.
NewsEmerging market real estate indices launched
GLOBAL – The European Public Real Estate Association (EPRA) and National Association of Real Estate Investment Trusts (NAREIT) are extending its joint venture with the FTSE Group to develop a series FTSE EPRA/NAREIT Global Real Estate indices also covering the emerging markets.
