HARTFORD, Conn., Sept. 10, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Cornerstone Real Estate Advisers, one of the world's top 10 real estate investment advisory firms(1), continues to expand its global platform with the opening of a Tokyo office to serve its Asian clients and to introduce other Asian institutional investors to its U.S. and European investment opportunities.
The Tokyo office will be headed by Directors Kelly C. Hayes and Peter Gensheimer, experts in Asian real estate investment markets who have extensive experience in the region, most recently with Savills, a global real estate services provider. The new office complements Cornerstone's existing Hong Kong office that serves the company's global securities platform.
The extension of Cornerstone's Asian operation follows its expansion in Europe, where the company has an established equity operation and this year launched a real estate lending program in the United Kingdom.
Cornerstone currently serves more than 170 clients globally and, with its subsidiary Cornerstone Europe, had US$36.2 billion of real estate assets under management or servicing as of June 30,2012.
"Institutional and other qualified investors increasingly are looking for a one-stop solution to their global equity and debt investing needs, while also seeking geographic diversity in their investment exposure," said David J. Reilly, CEO of Cornerstone. "Our presence in Tokyo will not only help augment services for our existing Asian clients but also enable us to provide them enhanced access to U.S. and European equity and debt investment opportunities."
Hayes, a former Citigroup executive who previously headed the bank's real estate finance business in Tokyo, stated: "With Cornerstone's outstanding track record and reputation as one of the world's leading real estate investment managers, this is an exciting opportunity to build the firm's business in Asia."
Gensheimer, who brings significant real estate banking experience with a large Japanese financial institution and private equity experience in Asia, added: "Institutional investors in Asia are seeking to partner with the top global real estate firms, so we are excited to be in a position to develop Cornerstone's operations in the region and meet the needs of these investors."
Cornerstone's equity business focuses on a range of asset classes including apartment, office, retail, industrial and hotel properties across the U.S., U.K. and Europe.
Cornerstone's debt business includes a core lending operation, a capital markets division that includes CMBS and REITs, and an alternatives unit that includes high yield and mezzanine lending.
More information is at www.cornerstoneadvisers.com.
About Cornerstone Real Estate Advisers LLC
Cornerstone Real Estate Advisers LLC, with affiliate and subsidiary offices in the U.S., UK, Europe and Asia, is one of the world's top ten largest real estate investment advisers. It provides core and value-added investment and advisory services, including a comprehensive suite of private and public real estate debt, equity and securities expertise and services, to institutional and other qualified investors around the globe. Cornerstone is a member of the MassMutual Financial Group. Visit www.cornerstoneadvisers.com.
(1)Pensions & Investments 10/3/11.
Contact: Patrick Collins
+1-617-553-0349
pcollins@madisoncommunications.com
