Key Takeaways
- • DWS has signed a binding agreement to acquire 100% of Peakside Capital Advisors, a manager of value-added and opportunistic real estate strategies focused on Germany and Central and Eastern Europe, according to the announcement.
- • Peakside manages more than 1.7 billion euros in assets, mainly on behalf of institutional investors, and operates in Germany, Luxembourg and Poland across offices, retail, logistics and residential.
- • The deal expands DWS's alternative assets platform and its European real estate business led by Clemens Schaefer, with DWS CEO Stefan Hoops describing real estate as a fundamental part of the alternative offer.
- • Founders Stefan Aumann, Boris Schran and Simon Lutz, together with Frank Schäfer and Karol Maziukiewicz, will remain with the firm after closing.
- • The transaction is expected to close by the end of 2026, subject to regulatory approvals and customary conditions; financial terms were not disclosed.
Summary
DWS, the German asset manager led by CEO Stefan Hoops, has agreed to acquire 100% of Peakside Capital Advisors, a Zug, Switzerland-based manager specializing in value-added and opportunistic real estate investment. The firm announced the signing of the binding agreement, noting that Peakside manages more than 1.7 billion euros, mainly for institutional investors. The acquisition is intended to strengthen DWS's alternative assets platform and add consolidated experience and a track record in value-add and opportunistic strategies to its European real estate business, which is led by Clemens Schaefer.
Peakside operates in Germany, Luxembourg and Poland, with experience across offices, retail, logistics and residential assets. Its PREF fund series reflects its investment trajectory. According to DWS, the deal will expand its offering especially in Germany and add relevant capabilities in Central and Eastern Europe. Hoops said the acquisition sends a clear signal that real estate is a fundamental part of DWS's alternative offer and a promising asset class the firm intends to grow.
Peakside's current owners, Stefan Aumann, Boris Schran and Simon Lutz, along with managing team members Frank Schäfer and Karol Maziukiewicz, will remain in the company after closing, and the statement indicates this continuity is expected to extend to the entire team. Aumann, founder and managing partner, said DWS's global platform, distribution capabilities and customer relationships offer opportunities to develop the business further. Schran emphasized that clients and current investments remain central, and that the firm intends to preserve its continuity and entrepreneurial culture within DWS.
The transaction is expected to close by the end of 2026, once regulatory approvals are obtained and other customary conditions are met. The parties have not disclosed the financial terms of the deal.
Peakside operates in Germany, Luxembourg and Poland, with experience across offices, retail, logistics and residential assets. Its PREF fund series reflects its investment trajectory. According to DWS, the deal will expand its offering especially in Germany and add relevant capabilities in Central and Eastern Europe. Hoops said the acquisition sends a clear signal that real estate is a fundamental part of DWS's alternative offer and a promising asset class the firm intends to grow.
Peakside's current owners, Stefan Aumann, Boris Schran and Simon Lutz, along with managing team members Frank Schäfer and Karol Maziukiewicz, will remain in the company after closing, and the statement indicates this continuity is expected to extend to the entire team. Aumann, founder and managing partner, said DWS's global platform, distribution capabilities and customer relationships offer opportunities to develop the business further. Schran emphasized that clients and current investments remain central, and that the firm intends to preserve its continuity and entrepreneurial culture within DWS.
The transaction is expected to close by the end of 2026, once regulatory approvals are obtained and other customary conditions are met. The parties have not disclosed the financial terms of the deal.
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