Patricia Bandeira Vieira, currently director of capital markets at Hines based in London, is joining the company in September from which time she will introduce real estate funds KKR is raising to EMEA-based investors.

The hire is part of a strategic move by KKR to evolve and build its real estate fundraising capabilities globally in line with the growth opportunity it perceives in the asset class.

The private equity and alternatives firm views real estate as one of its most significant areas for further growth. Up until now, fundraising has been carried out by non-real estate or generalist members of its client and partner group.

In New York, the company has already hired Leah Dillon as part of the expertise enhancement. Dillon joined in March as MD of the client and partner group (real estate), having been with Prologis for over eight years where she was SVP, global client relations.

A hire in Asia has also been made. KKR has hired Hyu Noh as a director focussed on real estate across the region, having joined from Goldman Sachs. 

Vieira has been with Hines for over eight years and was named by PropertyEU in June as one of 10 rising stars in Europe. Subscribers can view the feature here.

KKR’s new team of real estate fundraising specialists are joining at a time when KKR is pursuing several real estate strategies around the world.

Just weeks ago, the company announced the final close of KKR Real Estate Credit Opportunity Partners II with $950 mln of commitments. It is also raising a core-plus real estate fund, according to management comments on the firm’s second-quarter earnings.

The firm has also reportedly raised more than $700 mln for its first-ever dedicated Asia real estate fund, which is targeting $1.5 bn.

In Europe it is known to be raising its second Europe value added/opportunistic fund, KKR Real Estate Partners Europe II. That is a follow-up to Fund I, which closed on $739 mln in 2016.

Europe strategy
KKR’s global real estate group is led by Ralph Rosenberg based in New York. In Europe, day-to-day activities are led by Guillaume Cassou from London. In Asia, the real estate effort is led by John Pattar.

The company has been very active in European real estate over recent months, announcing several thematic real estate platforms, as previously reported by PropertyEU.

In April, the company said it had acquired M7’s stake in Mirastar to grow its European logistics platform.

In May, as part of its infrastructure strategy, KKR revealed plans for a $2.5 bn data centre platform by teaming up with Franek Sodzawiczny to form Global Technical Realty (GTR).

Also in May, it revealed an investment into French real estate company, Etche.

In June, KKR acquired a €1 bn Northern Europe holiday park business called Roompot Group from PAI Partners. In this instance, the firm said its investment in Europe’s second largest operator and provider of holiday parks was being made through its core investment strategy, which is a pool of capital for longer-term investments. 

Late last year, it launched a European hostel platform with Spanish family-owned Excem Real Estate.

It has made new European real estate hires of late too. 

Earlier this month PropertyEU first revealed that LaSalle Investment Management’s chairman in Europe, Simon Marrison, is also joining the firm as senior advisor, real estate, starting September 7.