AREF (The Association of Real Estate Funds)

🌟 Congratulations to Thriving Investments! 🌟 for winning Outstanding Fund Achievement at last night’s AREF Annual Awards! This award, exclusively for AREF Funds, recognises exceptional excellence within our industry. Member's were invited to submit a compelling entry of no more than 1000 words that demonstrated why their fund is outstanding. The judging panel evaluated entries on the following criteria: Emphasis on Net Zero Carbon (NZC) with a pragmatic and integrated approach to associated risks; Considerations for a “Just Transition”; Treatment of investors; and Engagement within the industry. The Judging Panel commented: "We had the pleasure of reviewing outstanding entries from the fund community, however, Thriving Investments distinguished themselves for several reasons, particularly in their practical embrace of the Just Transition. They provided excellent case studies showcasing how they leverage apprenticeships to enable local people to upskill, along with their commitment to building first-class green homes that deliver long-term benefits to the communities they serve. We recommend that this approach be shared within the investor community to illustrate how progress can be integrated into investment decision-making from the outset. It is particularly crucial for the real estate sector to adopt Just Transition principles to ensure a sustainable future in the investment market". Once again, congratulations to all at Thriving Investments for setting a high standard of excellence and for leading the way in sustainable investment! 🌍 Photo: William Kyle of Thriving Investments collects the award from AREF Chair, Anne Breen of abrdn. Special thanks to the Judging Panel for their time this year in setting the criteria and judging the submissions: Jonathan Hale ,of Knight Frank Naomi Green of Schroders, Dugal Hunt of CBRE Investment Management, Oliver Light of Accenture and Robert Boag. #arefawards24 #SustainableInvesting #JustTransition #NetZeroCarbon

🌟 Congratulations to Patrick Groves, Partner at CMS UK, for winning the The John Cartwright Award for Outstanding Individual Contribution at the AREF Annual Awards last night 🌟 Patrick's long-standing contributions on the FutureGen Committee, followed by his current role on the Education & Training Committee, along with his help in planning and moderating every debt panel event in the AREF Debt Event Series, as well as his involvement in the AREF Conference, demonstrate his unwavering dedication. This award has been renamed in honor of our former CEO, John Cartwright, who sadly passed away in December 2023. John’s visionary leadership from 2010 to 2019 helped transform AREF into the award-winning industry association it is today. This prestigious award, recognises individuals who have gone the extra mile in their personal involvement and commitment to the evolution of the association and the industry. Nominations are selected by the AREF Team, and the final winner is chosen through a vote by the AREF Board, Management Committee, and Team. Photo: Patrick Groves collects the award from AREF's Chair, Anne Breen of abrdn. Well deserved, Patrick! Thank you for your outstanding contributions. 👏 #arefawards24

🌟 Congratulations to PATRIZIA SE for winning the AREF Research Award at last night's AREF Annual Awards! 🏆 📊 With 24 strong entries this year, the judging panel faced tough choices. Key themes included ESG issues, the residential market, technology, and assessing amenity-rich environments. However, Patrizia’s paper stood out for its depth, rigor, and its contribution to advancing the understanding of asset selection in the real estate industry. Their outstanding research paper, 'The Role of Amenities in Strategic Asset Selection,' impressed the judging panel with its innovative approach and insightful analysis. The paper explored the role of amenities in influencing residential rents. The judges felt that it broke new ground in its approach and found the pan-European focus (including London) provided interesting insights into how different cities demonstrated slightly different relationships between rental value and amenity scores. Some relationships were quite nuanced, and residents in different cities were found to place different values on proximity to different amenities. The findings also demonstrated that the inconvenience of high concentrations of amenities in city centre locations can result in a reduction in rental value. It is a great example of how increasingly rich data sets can be mined for quantitative insights that help drive an understanding of asset level performance. A big congratulations to Patrizia for this well-deserved recognition! 👏 Photo: PD Dr. Marcelo Cajias of Patrizia collecting the award from AREF's Chair, Anne Breen of abrdn. Special thanks to the Judging Panel for their time this year in setting the criteria and judging the submissions: Kim Politzer of Fidelity International, Alistair Dryer MRICS of LaSalle Investment Management, Kasia Dziewulska of CBRE UK, Tom Goodwin, CFA of Mercer and William Lawrence of CMS UK. #arefawards24

🎉 Congratulations to The Citco Group Limited for being named Affiliate of the Year at the AREF Annual Awards 2024! This prestigious award recognises the invaluable contributions and unwavering support provided by our Affiliate member firms. It honors not only the standout efforts of individuals but also the collective support of the entire firm, acknowledging the team behind the scenes. Citco earned this recognition for their significant contributions this year, including their bold sponsorship of the first-ever AREF Conference, as well as hosting the inaugural FutureGen “An Evening With” event featuring Andy Baum. We are incredibly grateful for their dedication and involvement. The Affiliate of the Year Award is judged on several key criteria, such as notable activity in important areas, consistent contribution to AREF’s mission, and hosting or supporting events over time. Importantly, no formal submission is required for consideration. Nominations are selected by the AREF Team, and the final winner is chosen through a vote by the AREF Board, Management Committee, and Team. Once again, congratulations to Citco for this well-deserved recognition! 👏 Photo: Nancy Thompstone of Citco collects the award from AREF Chair, Anne Breen of abrdn. Ben Mardon Jess Muccio #arefawards24

Guests are enjoying the post-dinner soirée, accompanied by incredible jazz from The Guildhall School of Music, at the AREF Annual Dinner 2024. Proudly sponsored by JTC Group #arefdinner24

Zoe Lyons takes to the stage at the AREF Annual Dinner & Awards, bringing laughs and energy to the crowd at the Savoy Hotel. A fantastic highlight of the evening! Proudly sponsored by JTC Group #arefdinner24

🎉 The AREF Annual Awards have just been presented by AREF's Chair, Anne Breen at tonight's AREF Annual Dinner! 🎉 We’re delighted to announce the winners of the #arefawards24, celebrating outstanding achievements and contributions in our industry. And the winners are... 🏆 Affiliate of the Year: The Citco Group Limited, Nancy Thompstone 🏆 Outstanding Fund Achievement: Thriving Investments - The Mid Market Rent (New Avenue Living) Fund, William Kyle 🏆 Research Award: PATRIZIA SE for their paper 'The role of amenities in strategic asset selection' PD Dr. Marcelo Cajias 🏆 John Cartwright Award for Outstanding Individual Contribution: Patrick Groves, CMS UK 🌟 Congratulations to all our incredible winners and nominees for their dedication and innovation! A big thank you to everyone who submitted entries this year. To learn more about the awards click here: https://lnkd.in/dZ4Hajw A special shoutout to JTC Group for proudly sponsoring this spectacular evening at The Savoy #arefdinner24.

The AREF Annual Dinner 2024 is well underway! 🎉 Guests are enjoying the evening at The Savoy, filled with elegance, recognition, and connection. ✨ Stay tuned for more highlights throughout the night, and don’t forget to share your moments with #arefdinner24. Proudly sponsored by JTC Group

Today's the day! We look forward to seeing hosts and their guests at the AREF Annual Dinner and Awards at The Savoy. Get ready for an evening of elegance, celebration, and networking. Share your favourite moments with us using #arefdinner24. Proudly sponsored by JTC Group.

One day to go until the AREF Annual Awards! Good luck to everyone!! #arefawards24