Managers

The Hartford, Connecticut-based real estate investment management subsidiary of Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance Company has hired ex-Savills executives to help attract Asian investors into its US and Europe real estate equity and debt investments.

The New York-based real estate investment firm has held a first close for its $1 billion opportunistic debt fund, collecting commitments from investors that include the Contra Costa County Employees’ Retirement Association and the South Carolina Retirement System.

The Sydney-based logistics real estate developer and investment manager has now forged a tie-up with the Abu Dhabi Investment Council with a view to investing more than $1 billion in the major logistics markets of Japan.

Scott Dwyer, formerly the general manager for ING Real Estate’s asset management business in Europe, has joined the Chicago-based real estate investment management firm as its new head of portfolio management in Europe.

A new report from The Townsend Group reveals that the increase of funds in the market means GPs are having a more difficult time reaching their targets.

The private equity real estate firm, MGPA, has held a first close on MGPA Asien Spezialfonds, raising the equity exclusively from German institutional investors.

With the platform’s 2008, $557m AEW Value Investors Asia just three investments from wrapping up, plans are afoot for a successor fund to hit the market early next year. Meanwhile, the firm is searching for a new MD after Peter Wittendorp span out a team earlier this summer.

The London-based private equity real estate firm has raised the largest opportunistic real estate fund for Europe so far this year.

The Greenwich, Connecticut-based firm is expected to round out its latest distressed opportunity fund at close to $3 billion by the end of 2012, near the high end of its original target range.

The China-focused private equity real estate firm led by Texan Tom Delatour has raised $170 million for its first fund, Century Bridge China Real Estate Fund.