CBRE Group, Inc., the global commercial real estate advisor, has announced that it has acquired Franc Warwick Chartered Surveyors, one of the UK’s leading specialist real estate investment firms, further strengthening the company’s leadership in the UK market.
Led by the highly respected Franco Sidoli, Franc Warwick, a firm he co-founded in 1988, is regarded as one of the leading UK commercial real estate investment specialists. The business focuses on capital market transactions, corporate acquisitions and sales, shopping centres, hotels and leisure, industrial and high street retail. The firm is particularly active in the central London market.
The firm’s client list underlines its exceptional reputation, with clients including F&C REIT, Max Property Group Plc, Prestbury, Land Securities Plc, Conygar Investment Company PLC, AREA, Minerva, Resolution and Gatehouse Bank.
The Franc Warwick team will be integrated into CBRE’s Capital Markets group and will have a particular focus on investment transactions, including acquisitions, with Franco Sidoli serving as an Executive Director.
CBRE was the most active capital markets advisor in the UK and Central London in H1 2012, according to Property Data. Recent transactions completed by CBRE’s Capital Markets teams include: the Sentrum portfolio by Digital Realty for £715 million; Plantation Place, London for £491 million; Devonshire Square, London for £340 million, and the acquisition of the UK Logistics Fund by Segro and Moorfield REF II for £314 million.
Mike Strong, Chairman & CEO of Europe, Middle East and Africa, CBRE, said:
“We continue to invest in our business in areas of critical importance to our clients to ensure that we can offer them the best possible advice in any market in which we operate. Our long term strategy has seen CBRE perform very strongly throughout periods of market uncertainty region-wide and globally. Bringing on board a professional of Franco’s calibre is a great endorsement of our business and our strategic outlook, and I would like to add my welcome to him and his team.”
Franco Sidoli commented:
“The UK’s, and more specifically London’s, property sector is an increasingly international market, attracting capital from all corners of the globe. Access to a truly global network of highly experienced investment and other experts is becoming an intrinsic part of our market. It is also increasingly fundamental to the best possible investment advice to have insight in, and access to, all aspects of the occupational markets. With this in mind, CBRE is the natural home for me and my team. The company truly excels at forging strong client relationships globally and innovating in a challenging market place. I look forward to becoming part of this firm.”
Martin Samworth, UK Managing Director, CBRE added:
“Franco and his team are highly regarded in the investment markets as individuals who develop a partnership style of working with their clients and are greatly attuned to their objectives. This is an approach we prize at CBRE. Across the UK, CBRE has a strong presence in the investment market across the UK and we are particularly proud of our recent successes in the London, occupier and shopping centre markets. The addition of Franco and his team is very exciting and will greatly add to our excellent UK offering as well as our business across the board.”
Source: CBRE www.cbre.co.uk 9. September 2012