Sector Investment 3 Days

Last updated: April 17, 2026, 5:30 AM ET

Real Estate Capital Raising & Personnel Shifts

The flow of private real estate capital is shifting away from established giants, as the notable absence of major players like Blackstone and Brookfield creates openings for smaller funds and new managers to secure commitments with notably shorter fundraising timelines. This market repositioning coincides with strategic moves by established asset managers; for instance, CBRE Investment Management is actively building out its European presence by creating a dedicated role to target growth within its value-add strategy, reviving its Europe Value Partners series for the first time since 2018 CBRE IM creates role. Adding to the personnel reshuffle, Hines confirmed the departure of Paul White, the long-serving fund manager for its HEREP series, after 18 years with the firm Hines appoints fund manager. These capital movements are set against a backdrop of M&A, including Ares's second REIT privatization this year involving the acquisition of Whitestone, which focuses on necessity retail assets in the U.S. Blueprint: Ares’ REIT take-private.

Infrastructure Investment Caution & Fundraising Pace

Infrastructure fundraising momentum slowed considerably in the first quarter, with unlisted, closed-end structures raising just $26.4 billion, marking the second-lowest aggregate total over the last six years as institutional capital deployment decelerates. Despite this industry-wide slowdown, some executives are urging caution regarding specific high-growth sectors, with I Squared Capital's founder, Sadek Wahba, expressing wariness about the AI infrastructure boom due to underestimated geopolitical threats, specifically citing the risks associated with the conflict in Iran investors are sleepwalking. Concurrently, infrastructure private equity is seeing executive expansion; former Argo MD Aaron Gold has been appointed president at CAI, based in New York, to spearhead the firm’s expansion onto the East Coast alongside founder Bill Green Ex-Argo MD Aaron Gold. Furthermore, the infrastructure analysis sector is undergoing consolidation, as demonstrated by the acquisition of Scientific Infra & Private Assets, intended to deepen quantitative research coverage within the industry publications.