Townsend Group appointed to support Global real estate investments
Posted on October 12th, 2022
- Townsend Group appointed to support the development of Border to Coast’s global Real Estate proposition.
- As a consultant, it will work in close partnership with Border to Coast to help leverage the scale of pooling, expanding access to cost-effective investment opportunities in global real estate.
- Marks a key step in the launch of real estate investments for Border to Coast’s Partner Funds.
Border to Coast Pensions Partnership (Border to Coast), one of the UK’s largest Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS) pools, has appointed the Townsend Group as a consultant as it continues to develop its global Real Estate proposition on behalf of its Partner Funds.
Townsend Group has been selected following a rigorous tender process, with advice provided by MJ Hudson. It will support Border to Coast’s dedicated real estate team in the building of two global propositions by providing investment and portfolio support, detailed due diligence on prospective investments, and support embedding Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) considerations into the investment process.
The appointment marks a key stage in the development of a c.£5bn Real Estate proposition for Border to Coast’s Partner Funds. Once launched, it will seek to deliver the benefits of pooling through a centralised team which can expand access to global real estate investment opportunities in a sustainable and cost-effective manner.
Two global propositions are expected to launch in early 2023 – a ‘Core’ and an ‘Value-add/Opportunistic’ offering will each provide access to a diversified portfolio of real estate funds in the aim of securing enhanced long-term, risk adjusted returns for its LGPS partners. A proposition for UK real estate will follow.
“The appointment of Townsend Group is an important step towards the launch of our Real Estate proposition, which will further deliver the benefits of pooling for Partner Funds. By leveraging the expertise, resources, and influence gained through our collective scale, we expect to be among the largest real estate propositions in the UK – expanding investment opportunities for our Partner Funds and acting as a strong voice on responsible investment in the sector.
“Our success rests on the strength of our partnerships, and The Townsend Group’s flexible approach will support us in building and managing a durable real estate strategy with quality investment managers that cover the spectrum of risk profiles, geographies, and investment structures. We look forward to working with them.”
Nick Duff, Partner, The Townsend Group said: “We are excited to have been selected to work with Border to Coast. With its reputation for developing high quality propositions on behalf of the LGPS, it is a real opportunity for us to be involved in the build of a leading global real estate proposition from the start, and to work together on behalf of its Partner Funds to deliver the long-term, sustainable investments needed to support the pensions of members.”
Founded in 1983, The Townsend Group provides custom real asset solutions to clients across the world. It has $147.bn of advised assets.
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