Today, ING Real Estate Investment Management announced the launch of a global Multi Manager business. This new business line, from the worlds largest specialist property investment manager, provides investors with access to a range of real estate funds and managers with the investment expertise of ING Real Estate Investment Management overlaid.
ING Real Estate Investment Management has made the announcement to coincide with the annual INREV conference (European Association for Investors in Non-Listed Real Estate Vehicles) in Rome, underlining the growing globalization of real estate investment and its increasing importance in institutional investment portfolios.
Institutional investors are not only focusing on the diversification of investment risk by asset class, region, real estate sector and investment style, but also by manager risk, says Nick Cooper, global head of ING Real Estate Investment Managements new cross-border Multi Manager business. We expect strong demand for these services on the back of the rising capital flows into real estate from institutions increasing their allocations to the asset class as a whole." Cooper headed the pioneer Multi Manager fund group in the UK prior to taking on this global role within ING Real Estate Investment Management.
Jan Meulenbelt has been appointed to lead the development of the continental European Multi Manager business from The Hague. He was previously head of structured products for ING Investment Management. Its possible to distinguish two services within the Multi Manager business funds of funds and managers of managers. We see European pension funds focusing on both aspects in diversifying their real estate investment risks, Meulenbelt said.
The funds of funds will select shares in the best of class funds of both third party managers as well as ING Real Estate Investment Managements own funds. The main focus will be on unlisted funds.
David Blight, CEO of ING Real Estate Investment Management and member of the ING Real Estate Management Board, said We are very pleased to be able to announce this new initiative and look forward to providing investors with unique access to real estate funds and managers around the world.
Source: ING Real Estate
