SACRAMENTO, CA – The California Public Employees’ Retirement System (CalPERS) today announced that it has invested approximately $100 million in Bentall Kennedy, becoming a one-third owner in one of North America’s largest real estate investment advisors.CalPERS acquired the ownership interest in Bentall Kennedy that has been held for the past two decades by Ivanhoe Cambridge, the real estate investment subsidiary of the Caisse de Depot et Placement du Quebec. The remaining two-thirds limited partnership ownership is evenly split between the British Columbia Investment Management Corporation (bcIMC) and Bentall Kennedy’s senior management team.
The investment marks a new strategic move for CalPERS to engage the pension fund and its staff with an experienced real estate investment and management team by taking an ownership interest. It also brings together three like-minded institutions whose cultures are driven by long-term performance, growth and environmental and governance leadership.
“Bentall Kennedy has a track record of fiduciary excellence and is a global leader in environmental, social and governance practices,” said Rob Feckner (top right photo), President of the CalPERS Board of Administration. “This relationship will allow our real estate team to further expand on trends and opportunities in real estate investment and management.”
“Bentall Kennedy’s North America-wide business platform for real estate investment is a welcome addition to our real estate strategy,” said Henry Jones (middle right photo), Chair of CalPERS Investment Committee. “We have maintained a strong relationship with them over the years and fully support their investment strategy and shared goals of successful and sustainable long-term investment performance.”
Bentall Kennedy has been a real estate partner with CalPERS for more than 15 years through a number of investments.
“CalPERS is pleased to collaborate with bcIMC in a mutually beneficial structure for long horizon pension investors,” said Joe Dear (top left photo), CalPERS Chief Investment Officer.
Ted Eliopoulos (lower left photo) Senior Investment Officer for CalPERS real estate program said, “This investment supports our long-term strategic goals in real estate and aligns us with a strong investment partner.”
CalPERS has more than $18 billion invested in global real estate – approximately 8 percent of the fund’s $228 billion investment portfolio.
CalPERS is the largest public pension fund in the U.S. It administers retirement benefits for more than 1.6 million California state, local government, and public school employees, retirees, and their families on behalf of more than 3,000 public employers, and health benefits for more than 1.3 million enrollees. The average CalPERS pension benefit is $2,332 per month. The average benefit for those who retired in the most recent fiscal year that ended June 30, 2011, is $3,065 per month.
Contact:
External Affairs Branch
(916) 795-3991
Robert Udall Glazier, Deputy Executive Officer
Brad Pacheco, Chief, Office of Public Affairs
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