Investors

As real estate values continue to fall, real estate investment managers admit they are struggling to meet the increasing demand for information. Investors want information on a ‘daily basis, not monthly or quarterly’, according to a new report.

The online news service of PERE magazine celebrated the registration of its 10,000th user today – a US-based real estate acquisitions professional – by awarding a free pass to the upcoming PERE Forum in Hong Kong.

Unilever’s fund called Progress wants to switch out of direct property holdings and into indirect holdings.

The $153bn pension allocated $200m to Bank of America for investments with emerging managers, and $350m to minority-owned Parish Capital as part of its emerging private equity managers programme.

The UK-based association representing more than 20 investor institutions, including the Wellcome Trust, Hermes and the USS, is seeking to raise its profile and better represent LPs during the downturn.

LaSalle Investment Management is vying to replace Blackstone as Global Firm of the Year in the PERE Awards. You still have time to cast your votes for this and other 2008 Global PERE Awards categories.

The $28bn Alaska Permanent Fund says it's a 'difficult time to be an investor' as it saw heavy losses in the public real estate markets in 2008. Overall, Alaska’s real estate portfolio lost around 8% of its value, with its REIT investments falling almost 50%.

Joseph Dear, former executive director of the Washington State Investment Board, will take the reins of the pension’s $178bn in assets following the departure of Russell Read last June. Interim CIO Anne Sausboll was recently bumped up to CEO.

A survey conducted at PEI Media’s annual CFO and COO Forum in New York also revealed that one in 10 firms have recently experienced a defaulting limited partner.

Joseph Dear, former executive director of the Washington State Investment Board, will become CIO of the US' largest public pension plan following the departure of Russell Read last June. The hire puts an end to speculation that the CIO role would be filled by Carlyle venture veteran Bob Grady.