Last week the news became official that we at Berkeley Capital have formed a partnership with Cohen Brothers, widening our reach to London and beyond by partnering with this established international placement agent and advisory firm. This brings Robert Cohen and Marcelo Dellavedova officially onboard, and opens a world of opportunities for our clients and investors.
After working closely on a day-to-day basis with Cohen Brothers for the past 18 months, we made the decision to forge this partnership. Cohen Brothers’ exceptional reputation and experience is a perfect fit for both our investment model and corporate culture. What started as a simple vendor relationship has turned into a true partnership, and the last 18 months have fostered this alliance.
This is a rare undertaking, as most cross border financial transactions within the real estate world primarily cater to institutional investors, that would normally find this type of value proposition in the bigger shops. Berkeley can provide this seasoned expertise, with the flexibility of a smaller shop, due to decades worth of experience on our team. This partnership reflects the ability for us to execute on transactions that institutions of our size typically avoid.
With our combined experience and expertise, Berkeley Capital and Cohen Brothers will be able to link international investors more closely with U.S. real estate assets. This is a partnership like no other, and the boutique nature of this venture retains us the flexibility to cater to our clients’ specific needs.
Cohen Brothers has spent the last 14 years investing over $3 billion of international capital with alternative fund managers like Berkeley. And now that placement process is far more streamlined. By providing access to a broad network of U.S. real estate investment opportunities, coupled with our specialized approach, this partnership is a win for our clients.
Furthermore, we have opened an office in Berkeley Square, London, adding another layer of connection, and this union seems predestined, as Marcelo and Robert have officially joined the Berkeley family this month.
The new co-Managing Director of Berkeley Capital and a member of the investment committee, Marcelo has spent 20 years working around the globe, most recently on outsourced CIO solutions for institutional clients like Pension Funds and Insurance Companies. He brings his experience with investments, deal structuring, business development, and client management to bear on our behalf.
Robert, with 40 years of investment banking and global financial services around the world, will serve as Principal at Berkeley Capital, in addition to advising the Company’s management and serving as a member of the Investment Committee. Robert founded Cohen Brothers in 2007, and has been working across all main private asset fund strategies for clients in the U.S., Europe, and Asia.
For our clients, this merger allows them the best of both worlds. We retain the experience and expertise of a bigger firm with the flexibility of a boutique shop that provides specialized services across the transaction. This kind of venture is rare, as smaller shops in private equity don’t typically merge in this fashion.
Now clients can better interact with us on both sides of the pond. Because of the time difference between Cleveland and London for instance, we can capture more time zones, offering our clients a 13-hour business day instead of 8. And between our team, we speak 9 languages, which brings with it a personal connection other firms cannot offer.
With two offices and a world full of experiences under our belt, Berkeley Capital is even more capable of serving our clients with this partnership in place; our value proposition offers the agile innovation of our boutique approach with the wisdom and skill of a larger global firm.
