Universal Investment Ireland (UII) has launched AIFM services for Irish-domiciled real estate funds, starting with managing the Liffey Valley Shopping Centre ICAV. This move strengthens UII’s position in Ireland’s funds market while leveraging the Universal Investment Group’s expertise in real estate, managing €1,158 billion in assets globally. The expansion highlights UII’s commitment to innovative, efficient fund solutions.
Universal Investment Ireland (UII), the Irish platform of the Universal Investment Group, has announced the expansion of its services to include Alternative Investment Fund Manager (AIFM) solutions for Irish-domiciled real estate funds. This move marks a significant milestone as UII ventures into the Irish real estate sector, further enhancing its presence in the region’s dynamic funds market.
The new AIFM service was initiated with its first mandate for the ICAV managing the Liffey Valley Shopping Centre, one of Ireland’s largest retail centres. The appointment of UII for this mandate reflects a strategic decision to streamline operations and strengthen synergies with Universal Investment Luxembourg, which now acts as the investment manager for the ICAV.
Strengthening the real estate sector
The Liffey Valley Shopping Centre remains under the property management of Hines Real Estate Ireland, ensuring continuity in asset oversight. By transferring the AIFM function to UII, the ICAV aims to create a leaner operational structure while benefiting the underlying institutional investor.
The collaboration also emphasises the importance of the Universal Investment Group’s presence in Europe’s top three fund domiciles – Luxembourg, Ireland, and Germany. These strategic locations enable the Group to adopt an international approach to asset management, demonstrated by its ability to cater to the diverse needs of asset managers and owners globally.
Keith Milne, CEO of Universal Investment Ireland, highlighted the significance of this development:
“For us, this is a significant step in developing our Irish product range to suit client needs. To deliver best-in-class solutions for our clients, we consistently utilise the expertise of the UI Group to grow and evolve. At Group level, we have been offering real estate solutions in Luxembourg and Germany for around 15 years, with completed transactions and AIFM services amounting to approximately EUR 42 billion.”
Adding to this, Marcus Kuntz, Universal Investment Group Head of Sales and Fund Distribution, shared insights on the growing demand for their services:
“We are seeing great demand for our services as efficiency is becoming increasingly important to many asset managers and asset owners. We are confident that our experience gained from holding over 1,200 properties for our clients and our broad range of investment solutions will enable us to score highly in Ireland as a fund hub in the future. We already have over 50 property managers connected to our platform, and our clients in Ireland and beyond benefit from our expertise in international property transactions, with properties from the USA to Europe and APAC.”
Expanding horizons
The addition of AIFM services in Ireland builds upon the Universal Investment Group’s extensive experience in the real estate domain. The Group has been a trusted partner for asset managers and institutional investors, managing assets valued at EUR 1,158 billion and supporting over 5,000 fund and investment mandates across securities, real estate, and alternative investments.
This strategic development underlines UII’s commitment to delivering innovative solutions tailored to meet the evolving needs of the market. With its robust infrastructure and global expertise, the Universal Investment Group is poised to further strengthen its position as a leading fund service platform in Europe and beyond.
About Universal Investment
Universal Investment Group is one of Europe’s premier fund service platforms and Super ManCos, managing assets worth approximately EUR 1,158 billion. With a workforce of 1,700 professionals spread across Frankfurt, Luxembourg, Dublin, London, Paris, Stockholm, and Krakow, the Group offers a comprehensive range of structuring, administration, and risk management solutions. A signatory of the UN Principles of Responsible Investment, Universal Investment continues to lead in securities, real estate, and alternative investments.
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