The Global PERE Awards are in the final stretch now

You have one week left to tell us which organizations and individuals excelled most in 2018.

Two weeks ago, PERE banged the drum for more of our readers to vote in the 2018 Global PERE Awards. With more than 3,300 votes at the time, we highlighted which groups were poised to win big in this year’s awards and drew attention to the most hotly-contested categories where the ultimate victors were likely to win by razor-thin margins.

Since then, our voting tally swelled by nearly 1,000 additional responses. While this most recent batch of votes have strengthened or maintained the standings in some categories, it has helped to shake up others, particularly some of the closest races, and are now tipping the odds in favor of new frontrunners.

Here are seven categories that are shaping up to be the biggest nail-biters of this year’s awards:

Global Institutional Investor of the Year – At our previous count, GIC and Canada Pension Plan Investment Board were in a dead heat, claiming an equal number and share of the votes. GIC now has a slight edge over its Canadian competitor, with 30.70 percent and 30.52 percent, respectively.

Global Office Investor of the Year – This is one race that has unexpectedly become more heated. Two weeks prior, Gaw Capital Partners enjoyed a fairly comfortable lead in this category. However, LaSalle Investment Management has since pulled ahead, garnering 31.08 percent of responses, compared with Gaw’s 30.74 percent.

Global Retail Investor of the Year – Here is another category where Gaw has been overtaken by a competitor, in this case Brookfield Asset Management, which we previously mentioned was the Hong Kong-based private equity real estate firm’s nearest rival in the category, with less than 10 votes between them. Brookfield currently is prevailing by a hair, commanding 31.73 percent of responses against Gaw’s 31.38 percent.

Global Alternatives Investor of the Year – This is the contest with the biggest upset in this later stage of the voting process. Brookfield had been leading in this category but had faced stiff competition from Greystar. The latter firm, however, has not only triumphed over Brookfield but now boasts a wide lead over Brookfield, with 41.45 percent of total votes in this category. Now with 30.50 percent of the responses, Brookfield will have a lot of catching up to do to retake the top spot.

North America Deal of the Year – The second category where Greystar has come from behind and is now beating former lead contender Brookfield, albeit by a fairly slim margin of 36.36 percent to 32.36 percent.

Nordics Firm of the Year – Although NREP still prevails in this category, it is now facing stiff competition from Starwood Capital Group, which has closed the gap to less than two percentage points, with NREP taking 38.10 percent of the vote and Starwood 36.20 percent.

Australia Firm of the Year – This remains the tightest race in Asia, as ESR and Charter Hall are still in a headlock over first place, both with 33.46 percent of reader responses.

But just as the lead contenders in these contests have changed from two weeks ago, don’t be surprised if they shift yet again in the final days of voting. In four out of the seven above races, less than five votes separate the top two vote-getters.

So if you still haven’t sent in your ballot yet in this year’s awards, remember your vote could still have sway over the final outcomes.

To review the voting rules one more time: you may only vote once; you may not vote for yourself or your own firm or use block voting; and personal email addresses (such as Gmail) will be disqualified.

Voting is due to end at the close of business on Friday, January 11, and the outcome is in your hands. If you have not voted yet, do visit the Awards’ dedicated voting page here before it is too late.