CIM Group Partners with Michael Bickford Venture to Create Round Hill Capital Ventures

CIM Group significantly expands its footprint in Europe through strategic partnership with established, vertically integrated pan-European investor

Bickford to serve as CEO of the new $2.1B platform

LOS ANGELES & LONDON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--CIM Group, a leading community-focused real estate and infrastructure owner, operator, lender and developer, announced today that it has provided financing for the creation of Round Hill Capital Ventures, a newly formed investment platform that has acquired management contracts for assets formerly managed by Round Hill Capital. Michael Bickford will serve as CEO of the successor entity, with the portfolio continuing to be managed by highly experienced teams across six offices in the EU, the U.K. and the U.S. As part of the partnership, CIM Group is also providing growth capital to Round Hill Capital Ventures for its continued expansion.

Round Hill Capital Ventures will manage a $2.1 billion portfolio of high-quality investment and development real estate located predominantly in Europe and concentrated in the living sector, representing 13,450 residential units in 10 countries including the U.K., Netherlands, Germany, Spain, Portugal, Ireland, Denmark, Finland, France and the U.S.

The new platform will build upon the longstanding strength of former Round Hill Capital’s vertically integrated real estate management business, which will now benefit from CIM Group’s scale and breadth of experience across multiple real estate and infrastructure asset classes as well as its access to growth capital and complementary operational expertise.

CIM Group currently owns and operates $28.6 billion in assets across 135 communities across North America, Latin America and the U.K.

CIM Group’s investment will help position Round Hill Capital Ventures for accelerated growth and strengthen its ability to raise and deploy capital as well as enhance its relationships with global capital partners, all of which will build upon Mr. Bickford and his team’s strong investment track record across Europe. The new entity will also benefit from CIM Group’s expertise to help increase operational efficiency.

Since the formation of Round Hill Capital in 2002, funds managed by Mr. Bickford and the Round Hill Capital management team have transacted in excess of $13 billion of real estate and invested in more than 140,000 residential units and student housing beds.

“CIM Group’s investment in Round Hill Capital Ventures is part of our firm’s longstanding practice of expanding our platform by partnering with best-in-class managers in their home markets, including by providing financial and operational support. We believe Round Hill Capital Ventures will be a top-tier living sector fund manager across the EU and the U.K., and we look forward to being a part of its growth going forward as an investor and supportive partner,” said Richard Ressler, Co-Founder and Principal of CIM Group.

“CIM Group is a strong investment partner with a 30-year track record of successfully managing real estate and infrastructure, along with a substantial credit business. We are excited about this new chapter to grow our business. We have significant ambitions to continue expanding across Europe, and CIM Group’s expertise and resources will be invaluable in helping us achieve those goals,” said Mr. Bickford. “We believe this strategic partnership with CIM Group positions us advantageously at a compelling point in the market cycle across Europe, which should allow us to deliver superior performance for all of our investment partners.”

Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC served as the exclusive financial advisor to CIM Group in the transaction.

About CIM Group

CIM is a community-focused real estate and infrastructure owner, operator, lender and developer. Since 1994, CIM has sought to create value in projects and positively impact the lives of people in communities across the Americas by delivering more than $60 billion of essential real estate and infrastructure projects. CIM’s diverse team of experts applies its broad knowledge and disciplined approach through hands-on management of real assets from due diligence to operations through disposition. CIM strives to make a meaningful difference in the world by executing key environmental, social and governance (ESG) initiatives and enhancing each community in which it invests. For more information, visit www.cimgroup.com.

About Round Hill Capital

For information, visit www.roundhillcapital.com.