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Cliffwater Names Sean Brenan Head of Real Estate and Portfolio Manager for Cascade Real Assets Fund

Reported by Citybiz
Jun 9, 2026· 2 min read
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Key Takeaways
  • • Cliffwater appoints Sean Brenan as Head of Real Estate and Portfolio Manager for its Cascade Real Assets Fund, bringing senior investment experience from Goldman Sachs to the role.
  • • Brenan's background includes Managing Director-level experience at Goldman Sachs, positioning him to lead real assets strategy in an increasingly competitive alternative investment landscape.
  • • The appointment reflects Cliffwater's expansion of its real estate and real assets investment capabilities, targeting institutional and alternative investors seeking diversified exposure to infrastructure and property assets.
  • • Cascade Real Assets Fund will benefit from Brenan's expertise in secondary markets and portfolio management, areas where institutional capital has demonstrated sustained demand.
Summary
Cliffwater has named Sean Brenan as Head of Real Estate and Portfolio Manager for its Cascade Real Assets Fund, according to citybiz. Brenan brings senior-level investment management experience to the position, most recently from his tenure as a Managing Director at Goldman Sachs, where he was part of the bank's secondaries division.

Brenan's appointment underscores Cliffwater's strategic focus on expanding its real assets platform to serve institutional investors and family offices seeking exposure to real estate and infrastructure opportunities. His background in secondary markets and portfolio management aligns with the fund's investment mandate to identify and execute real asset opportunities across diversified property and infrastructure sectors.

The hire reflects broader industry trends in which alternative asset managers are deepening their real estate expertise as institutional capital continues to flow toward alternatives. Cliffwater's Cascade Real Assets Fund targets investors seeking both income generation and capital appreciation through disciplined portfolio construction and active management of real estate and related assets.

Brenan's move to Cliffwater represents a senior-level addition to the firm's investment team and signals the manager's commitment to building institutional-grade capabilities in real assets management, a category where experienced portfolio managers with secondary market expertise command significant value.

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Sources

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Citybiz Cliffwater Names Sean Brenan Head of Real Estate and Portfolio Manager for Cascade Real Assets Fund