Key Takeaways
- • Bentall Kennedy and GreenOak Real Estate completed their merger effective July 1, 2019, creating BentallGreenOak, a leading global real estate investment management platform with approximately $46 billion USD in assets under management (pro forma as of March 31, 2019).
- • BentallGreenOak operates across 22 offices worldwide with headquarters in New York, Toronto, London, and Tokyo, providing institutional real estate investment services across North America, Europe, and Asia with expertise in office, retail, industrial, and multi-residential property.
- • The combined firm serves more than 750 institutional clients and is positioned as an affiliate of SLC Management, Sun Life's global institutional alternatives asset management arm, providing integrated access to public and private fixed income, real estate equity, and real estate debt solutions.
- • Leadership includes Gary Whitelaw (CEO), Sonny Kalsi (President), and John Carrafiell (Senior Managing Partner of UK and European operations), all of whom emphasized strong investor and employee support for the merger across all geographies.
Summary
BentallGreenOak announced the closing of its merger on July 2, 2019, uniting Bentall Kennedy and GreenOak Real Estate into a single global real estate investment platform. The transaction, which became effective July 1, 2019, creates a substantially larger institutional real estate manager with approximately $46 billion USD in assets under management on a pro forma basis as of March 31, 2019.
The combined platform maintains significant geographic diversification with principal offices in New York, Toronto, London, and Tokyo, supplemented by real estate investment professionals operating across 22 offices worldwide. This extensive international footprint enables BentallGreenOak to deliver deep local market expertise while maintaining consistent investment standards across North America, Europe, and Asia. The firm's investment capabilities span multiple property types including office, retail, industrial, and multi-residential assets.
BentallGreenOak serves a substantial institutional client base exceeding 750 investors and has established itself as a recognized provider of real estate services globally. The merger received strong backing from institutional clients and employees across all operating regions. According to leadership, including CEO Gary Whitelaw, President Sonny Kalsi, and Senior Managing Partner John Carrafiell, the combined firm remains committed to delivering strong investment performance alongside innovative asset management and real estate operations strategies.
Structurally, BentallGreenOak operates as an affiliate of SLC Management, the global institutional alternatives asset management division of Sun Life. This affiliation provides clients with integrated access to a comprehensive platform encompassing public and private fixed income solutions as well as real estate equity and debt strategies, creating enhanced optionality for institutional investors seeking multi-asset real estate exposure.
The combined platform maintains significant geographic diversification with principal offices in New York, Toronto, London, and Tokyo, supplemented by real estate investment professionals operating across 22 offices worldwide. This extensive international footprint enables BentallGreenOak to deliver deep local market expertise while maintaining consistent investment standards across North America, Europe, and Asia. The firm's investment capabilities span multiple property types including office, retail, industrial, and multi-residential assets.
BentallGreenOak serves a substantial institutional client base exceeding 750 investors and has established itself as a recognized provider of real estate services globally. The merger received strong backing from institutional clients and employees across all operating regions. According to leadership, including CEO Gary Whitelaw, President Sonny Kalsi, and Senior Managing Partner John Carrafiell, the combined firm remains committed to delivering strong investment performance alongside innovative asset management and real estate operations strategies.
Structurally, BentallGreenOak operates as an affiliate of SLC Management, the global institutional alternatives asset management division of Sun Life. This affiliation provides clients with integrated access to a comprehensive platform encompassing public and private fixed income solutions as well as real estate equity and debt strategies, creating enhanced optionality for institutional investors seeking multi-asset real estate exposure.
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