LaSalle Investment Management has entered into an agreement to acquire the Real Estate Multi-Manager (REMM) business of Aviva Investors and full ownership of the management of the Encore+ fund. The deal is expected to close by the end of the year. The new division will be headed up by Ed Casal, who, as part of this acquisition, will be joining LaSalle from his current role as CEO of Real Estate at Aviva and Co-Founder of its Global Indirect Real Estate business. He will also be joining LaSalle’s Global Management Committee. Aviva’s REMM business has €6bn of assets under management.
LaSalle will also be acquiring Aviva’s rights and responsibilities as the Fund Manager of Encore+, the open-ended Continental European real estate fund which has been jointly managed and run by both parties for eleven years. LaSalle will become the sole manager of Encore+ and David Ironside will become the Fund Manager. The Fund, which currently has a gross asset value of €1.7bn, was recently recognised as the best performing fund in the IPD PEPFI for 2017. It has also been the top performing fund in the index on an aggregate five-year basis.
Jeff Jacobson, Global CEO of LaSalle Investment Management commented: “I am delighted to announce this joint acquisition of Aviva’s REMM business and its interest in the management of the Encore+ fund. A strong multi-manager capacity has become increasingly important to LaSalle’s clients and our global footprint and expertise provide a solid foundation to strengthen the incoming global indirect capabilities. This will enhance our capabilities to offer comprehensive integrated investment solutions across the risk spectrum in third-party fund investing, joint-ventures and co-investments. We have always regarded Encore+ as our flagship diversified open-end fund in Continental Europe and I am delighted that we will become the sole manager for the Fund. LaSalle has been a co-sponsor of the fund since its inception and I consider it a natural evolution to bring all operations under one roof in the next stage of its growth.”
Euan Munro, Chief Executive Officer of Aviva Investors, said: “This deal makes sense for both parties, as well as clients in the REMM business and Encore+. We will now focus our efforts on being a direct operator in our chosen markets in Real Assets, which is a strategic priority for our business.”
