Investors

PERE has ranked the 20 most influential limited partners in the business.

The New York-based real estate firm will focus on undervalued and distressed assets in the US, Europe and Japan with its latest real estate vehicle, Westbrook Real Estate Fund VIII.

Founder Stephen Schwarzman today told shareholders the market is seeing “one of the worst financial crises since the Great Depression”, but he says the “very best” investments awaited the firm.

The debt markets for infrastructure have turned a corner, the CFO of a major infrastructure investor said today at a conference in New York.

The majority of limited partners expect 23 percent returns from 2008 emerging markets investments, according to the Emerging Markets Private Equity Association’s 2008 LP Survey.

US investment bank Greenhill & Co. has hired Christopher Kirsten and six other Lehman agents to launch a fund placement division.

Plans for a €600m project near Ipswich in England have been recommended by a Government planning inspector following a public inquiry.

The captive infrastructure firm of the US bank has closed its latest fund, which has already made more than $1bn of investments. More than 100 employees of the bank invested.

The California pension has also reported commitments to Advent, Audax and Huntsman Gay.

Private equity limited partners overwhelmingly also have real estate allocations, according to a report produced by PEI Media and trade association ILPA.