Sonar Real Estate GmbH (Sonar) is expanding its team with the recruitment of Alexander Brüning (48) as Director Institutional Sales & Business Development. Based in Hamburg, Brüning is to reinforce the area of investment solutions for institutional investors, with immediate effect. Together with Matthias Gerloff, the Managing Partner responsible for Sonar’s Fund Management & Investment Solutions division, he will further expand this area of business.
In his newly-created position, Alexander Brüning will be accountable for advising and supporting, and growing,the existing network of German institutional investors. The focus is on raising equity capital for a variety of real estate investment vehicles, including pooled funds, individual instructions and ‘club’ deals. Additionally, Brüning will help shape future product innovations and develop the associated marketing strategies. Sonar currently manages various individual client instructions in special fund structures, with over EUR 800 million of assets under management. Expansion of the pooled fund offer is also planned.
Alexander Brüning has more than ten years’ experience in the field of institutional investors, as well as in transaction and fund management. He joins Sonar from Catella Residential Investment Management, where he was responsible for the fund management of pan-European special funds and for the acquisition of institutional investors
Mathias Gerloff, Managing Partner of Sonar, comments: “I am delighted that we have gained Alexander Brüning, a proven specialist in handling real estate instructions for German institutional investors from the insurance, superannuation scheme and pension fund sectors. This will further strengthen our company and drive forward our plans for the development of new investment products. His robust investor network and expertise in launching and placing funds – and approaching investors – will particularly aid us in this.
Christoph Wittkop, Managing Partner and CEO, adds: “As a team, we have been serving our German institutional investor clients for more than ten years. Nevertheless, the majority of our assets under management are instructions from Anglo-Saxon investors pursuing core-plus, value-add and opportunistic strategies. Aided by Alexander Brüning, we want to increase our focus on attracting more German investors.”
