La Française and Canada Pension Plan Investment Board (CPPIB) announce the signing of a strategic partnership for the launch of a real estate investment and development vehicle: Société Foncière et Immobilière du Grand Paris. The joint venture between CPPIB (80%) and Caisse Fédérale du Crédit Mutuel Nord Europe (CMNE) (20%), La Française’s shareholder, will invest in major real estate projects linked to the Grand Paris infrastructure in the Greater Paris area.
With over C$368 billion in assets under management worldwide, CPPIB continues to expand its investment program and has formed a joint venture with CMNE, La Française’s majority shareholder, to focus on Grand Paris related real estate projects – one of the most significant and prestigious regeneration projects in Europe. The parties will initially allocate €387.5 million in equity to the venture.
With €19 billion in real estate assets under management and over 40 years of investment experience, La Française has seized the real estate investment and community development opportunities offered by the Grand Paris Express transit project over the past several years. Early on and in order to capture substantial value, the group has positioned itself on several strategic locations that are part of a broader urban regeneration initiative and close to hubs that will be serviced by the Grand Paris Express.
La Française’s expertise and longstanding reputation have enabled Société Foncière et Immobilière du Grand Paris, managed by Guillaume Pasquier, Head of Real Estate Business Development Grand Paris Project, and Anne Génot, CIO - Grand Paris and European Real Estate Business Development Director, to secure two flagship projects: Saint-Denis-Pleyel (mixed use) and Villejuif-Gustave Roussy (office buildings).
“This new partnership in France with a leading real estate manager and investor like La Française and its parent company CMNE allows us to invest in a strategically important development in Paris,” says Andrea Orlandi, Managing Director, Head of Europe, Real Estate Investments at CPPIB. “Through this partnership we will target regeneration and infrastructure led investments, and we expect the Grand Paris Express to significantly transform the Greater Paris market over the next decade and beyond. We look forward to growing the venture anchored by the significant development opportunities in Paris and its Grand Paris Express project.”
The joint venture will look to grow the partnership through additional development projects beyond Saint-Denis-Pleyel and Villejuif-Gustave Roussy that are consistent with its overall investment strategy.
“This partnership with a leading institutional investor will enable La Française, with the support of its shareholder, CMNE, to step up its real estate business development and participate, along with other public and private stakeholders, in making Paris a “Global City”, concludes Xavier Lépine, Chairman of La Française Group.
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