Former INREV chairman Stouthamer dies

Erwin Stouthamer, the founder and chief executive officer of Composition Capital Partners, has died.

Stouthamer founded the Dutch investment management firm in 2005 and began building the international real estate team. Just over a decade later, Composition, which has offices in Amsterdam and Hong Kong, has a €2 billion global equity portfolio.

The Dutchman, whose career in the real estate industry spanned 20 years, was also director of international real estate at MN Services (The Dutch Metalworkers Union) in The Hague. Prior to that he held several positions at Dutch firm ING Real Estate.

In 2004, Stouthamer was appointed chairman of INREV, the European Association for Investors in Non-listed Real Estate Vehicles. Prior to his death, he still sat on the management board at the not-for-profit organization, and most recently was its secretary.

He has also been chairman and a member of the executive board of AFIRE, the Association of Foreign Investors in US Real Estate.

Composition and INREV have decided not to comment on Stouthamer’s death until after his funeral, which is on Monday April 25.

Steve Felix, co-founder of Felix/Weiner Consulting Group, a behavioral presentation coaching specialist and former investment professional at Aviva Investors, the investment management business of UK insurer Aviva, was a friend of Stouthamer. He said in a column marking his death: “Erwin was a sincere and thoughtful friend. When you saw him, chances are he had a big smile on his face. He was also a fun guy, to hang out with at events, to share a meal with and to talk, which he loved to do, about the real estate industry.”

“He proved to himself that he had that entrepreneurial spirit but he never took the success of Composition Capital for granted and never had a big ego about it. He was a special guy. There's one less light shining in The Netherlands tonight. So long Erwin. I was glad to know you.”

Stouthamer gained a Master’s degree in business science from the University of Groningen and a Bachelor’s degree in building construction from the University of Utrecht, both in his homeland. He is also a professional member of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors.

Composition now has $1.1 billion of assets under management.