Robin Marriott

Speaking at the PERE Forum: Europe 2008 Nori Gerardo Lietz, chief strategist of Partners Group, warned that investors want a choice about where to deploy their capital and that it could come at the expense of global real estate vehicles.

Johan van der Ende, who serves as chairman of the European Association for Investors in Non-listed Real Estate Vehicles, has been officially unveiled as chief investment officer at Dutch fund PGGM.

A survey suggests that financial chaos from the US is affecting real estate investment in Asia, though investors are still keen to access the region for the growth and diversification it offers.

The Russian real estate firm, which is listed on the London Stock Exchange, is entering into the private equity real estate arena for the first time by opening a large fund to third party investors.

The Blackstone Group is poised to add to its Asian office network with a branch in Beijing, the political and administrative seat of the Chinese government.

The Swiss-based private equity real estate firm founded by former Cerberus head in Germany, Ralph Winter, expects to invest in another €600 million of property this year.

Anecdotal evidence suggests German institutional investors are increasingly switching billions of euros invested directly in real estate into property funds.

Hypo Real Estate has left shareholders in limbo by saying it cannot recommend either acceptance or rejection of an approach by US firm JC Flowers to acquire 24.9 percent of the company.

The Kuwait Investment Authority has acquired the Willis Building from British Land, taking advantage of the “quieter market conditions” to buy the tower at discount.

Turkey's parliament has lifted a ban on the sale of real estate to foreigners, ending a month-long saga that cast a shadow over foreign and domestic investment into the country's growing real estate market.