Key Takeaways
- • Sophie van Oosterom, global head of real estate at CPP Investments, advocates for an integrated investment approach that combines real estate and infrastructure rather than treating them as separate asset classes to generate stronger alpha returns.
- • Van Oosterom joined CPP Investments in January 2025 after leading Schroders' global real estate business since January 2021, bringing nearly 30 years of experience in real estate investing and finance to the Canadian pension plan's portfolio.
- • CPP's real estate strategy under van Oosterom emphasizes a more active and collaborative approach to capital deployment across geographies and asset types, moving beyond traditional siloed real estate investment methodologies.
- • The leadership transition reflects institutional investors' growing emphasis on cross-asset collaboration and operational efficiency in real estate, with van Oosterom positioning the Canadian pension plan to take "the broadest view" possible in real estate investing.
Summary
Sophie van Oosterom has assumed her role as global head of real estate at CPP Investments less than 12 months into the position, having joined the Canadian pension plan in January 2025. Van Oosterom brings nearly three decades of experience in real estate investing and finance, most recently from her tenure at Schroders, where she led the asset manager's global real estate investment business since January 2021.
At CPP Investments, van Oosterom is advancing a strategic philosophy that integrates real estate and infrastructure investment decisions rather than maintaining traditional operational silos between the two asset classes. In conversations with industry observers, she has articulated a perspective centered on taking "the broadest view" in real estate investing, arguing that institutional investors can generate superior alpha returns by avoiding a compartmentalized approach that separates real estate from infrastructure opportunities. This integrated methodology reflects a wider trend among large institutional capital allocators to break down internal barriers and identify synergies across complementary asset classes.
The appointment underscores CPP Investments' commitment to a more active and collaborative approach to real estate capital deployment. Van Oosterom's mandate encompasses leadership of the Canadian pension plan's substantial real estate portfolio across global markets, positioning the organization to pursue investment opportunities with enhanced flexibility in asset type, geography, and strategy. Her background chairing Schroders' global real estate management operations provides a foundation for scaling similar operational excellence and strategic coordination across CPP's real estate holdings.
The shift toward integrated real estate and infrastructure investing reflects broader institutional appetite for capital efficiency and performance optimization in an environment where traditional real estate returns face headwinds from rising interest rates and capital competition. Van Oosterom's strategic positioning at one of the world's largest pension plans signals confidence in the competitive advantages available to investors willing to adopt more fluid, collaborative capital allocation frameworks across traditionally distinct real asset categories.
At CPP Investments, van Oosterom is advancing a strategic philosophy that integrates real estate and infrastructure investment decisions rather than maintaining traditional operational silos between the two asset classes. In conversations with industry observers, she has articulated a perspective centered on taking "the broadest view" in real estate investing, arguing that institutional investors can generate superior alpha returns by avoiding a compartmentalized approach that separates real estate from infrastructure opportunities. This integrated methodology reflects a wider trend among large institutional capital allocators to break down internal barriers and identify synergies across complementary asset classes.
The appointment underscores CPP Investments' commitment to a more active and collaborative approach to real estate capital deployment. Van Oosterom's mandate encompasses leadership of the Canadian pension plan's substantial real estate portfolio across global markets, positioning the organization to pursue investment opportunities with enhanced flexibility in asset type, geography, and strategy. Her background chairing Schroders' global real estate management operations provides a foundation for scaling similar operational excellence and strategic coordination across CPP's real estate holdings.
The shift toward integrated real estate and infrastructure investing reflects broader institutional appetite for capital efficiency and performance optimization in an environment where traditional real estate returns face headwinds from rising interest rates and capital competition. Van Oosterom's strategic positioning at one of the world's largest pension plans signals confidence in the competitive advantages available to investors willing to adopt more fluid, collaborative capital allocation frameworks across traditionally distinct real asset categories.
Go deeper than the headline
Research every firm in this story, track the ones that matter and get the daily briefing — free for 7 days.