Managers

Political turmoil in the Middle East and North Africa has 'stymied' economic recovery, but the region is in a strong position for future growth, according to delegates at Middle East Forum.

The London-based private equity real estate firm has appointed placement agent Monument Group to raise Patron Capital LP Fund IV, which could be one of Europe’s largest opportunity funds in the market this year.

Gerald Ronson, one of the UK’s best known developers whose Heron International is backed by a number of wealthy US businessmen and Middle Eastern investors, has formed Ronson Capital Partners to buy UK real estate.

Insurer reaches halfway point in its quest to raise ‘innovative’ UK Property Income Fund. Legal & General Property's head, Bill Hughes, says raising equity remains a challenge, yet he is delighted with the success so far.

The firm co-founded by former Morgan Stanley Real Estate Investing executives Sonny Kalsi, John Carrafiell and Fred Schmidt in 2010 has raised $150m against a target of between $300m and $400m.

Colony Financial raised the equity through a secondary offering after fully investing the proceeds of its $284m IPO and a $55.7m private placement.

The firm, a former affiliate of KKR that employs a hybrid real estate and private equity investment strategy, will be close to hitting its hard cap of $2bn by summer.

Altis Property Partners, an Australian real estate investment management business launched in 2008 by former ICA Property Group executives, has brought fundraising to a close on its debut fund. The firm has also brought the fund to 35 percent invested with the purchase of an industrial shed in Sydney.

Bank continues managing out the ill-fated fund that was briefly the largest private equity real estate vehicle in the world when it closed on $8bn in 2007.

CITIC Capital, the Hong Kong-based private equity and real estate firm is targeting a fundraise of $600m for its latest opportunity real estate fund after investing more than 70 percent of the capital of its predecessor.