Edmond de Rothschild REIM Launches European Value-Add Industrial Strategy, Names Niek van Genugten as Fund Manager

Edmond de Rothschild REIM has launched a value-add investment strategy focused on European light-industrial and logistics real estate, and has named Niek van Genugten as the strategy's fund manager, the firm announced Sept. 28, 2026.

Van Genugten, who is based in Amsterdam, assumed the fund manager role on Sept. 1, 2026. He brings nearly 15 years of pan-European real estate experience and has been involved in more than €2 billion of logistics and light-industrial transactions across Europe.

A New Value-Add Strategy for European Light Industrial

The new strategy targets light-industrial assets that the firm says offer a yield premium relative to large "big-box" logistics platforms, while benefiting from structurally limited supply and greater potential for value creation. Edmond de Rothschild REIM says the investment thesis centers on generating alpha through active asset management led by local teams in European markets where the firm has an established presence.

The strategy is an extension of the firm's existing industrial and logistics capabilities. Edmond de Rothschild REIM has managed light-industrial and logistics assets for more than eight years through its Euro Industrial Real Estate Fund and has 25 years of broader industrial and logistics asset management experience. Its European platform spans 790 assets and more than 150 employees across seven offices in five countries.

The timing coincides with a supply-demand inflection point in the European logistics market. Rolling completions are approaching a nine-year low as the development pipeline has contracted sharply, a dynamic that reduces the risk of newly delivered space competing with existing assets and increases the potential value of buildings that can be upgraded, re-let or repositioned. Vacancy has risen in some markets, including the United Kingdom and France, but declining new supply is expected to bring the broader market toward equilibrium.

The performance gap between large distribution warehouses and smaller, more urban industrial properties has also widened. Year-on-year rent growth for industrial property has run at approximately 5.1% across Europe, compared with roughly 2.4% for logistics, reflecting stronger demand dynamics in the light-industrial and manufacturing-related segment. Rising construction costs — up approximately 30% — make existing properties more valuable relative to replacement development, further supporting the repositioning thesis.

Niek van Genugten's Background

Before joining Edmond de Rothschild REIM, Van Genugten served as Senior Transaction Manager at Frasers Property Industrial, formerly known as Geneba Properties, in Amsterdam. In that role, he was responsible for business development and transactions, including capital raising, and previously co-led the firm's European Acquisitions team.

Earlier in his career, Van Genugten worked at Syntrus Achmea Real Estate & Finance, where he worked on three fund-of-funds vehicles on the investor side, with exposure to approximately 50 fund investments across sectors globally.

In his new role, Van Genugten will manage the value-add strategy and contribute to the development of new investment products and solutions within Edmond de Rothschild REIM's industrial and logistics platform. He will work alongside the firm's local investment, asset management, fund management and investor relations teams across Europe, and will report to Theo Soeters, Head of Fund Management at Edmond de Rothschild REIM.

Executive Commentary

"We are delighted to welcome Niek to Edmond de Rothschild REIM as we launch our new value-add strategy dedicated to European light-industrial and logistics real estate," said Theo Soeters, Head of Fund Management. "His extensive experience in the European industrial and logistics real estate market, combined with his value-add investment expertise, will be a major asset as we continue to develop our platform. His appointment will strengthen our ability to implement value-creation strategies for the benefit of our investors."

Klaus Schmitz, Chief Investment Officer at Edmond de Rothschild REIM, described the launch as a natural evolution of the firm's existing core-plus approach. "This new value-add strategy is a natural evolution of our core-plus strategy and is part of our broader mission to seek alpha for our investors," Schmitz said. "It reflects our conviction that active, operational management in established European markets is the best way to create value in light-industrial and logistics real estate. I am excited to see this platform develop and I am convinced that Niek's expertise will play a decisive role in achieving this ambition."

Market Context and Platform Outlook

Prime logistics yields across Europe currently range from approximately 4.40% in Germany to around 6% in France and Central Europe, reflecting differences in financing conditions, tenant quality, vacancy and market liquidity. For a value-add strategy, wider yields can represent an entry opportunity when paired with the ability to execute asset-level business plans and access exit liquidity.

Light-industrial portfolios are typically more operationally intensive than large logistics assets, requiring local leasing expertise, active capital expenditure management and tenant-by-tenant oversight. Edmond de Rothschild REIM says its local team structure — spanning five countries — is designed to support that kind of hands-on management across multiple European markets.

Edmond de Rothschild manages more than 198 billion Swiss francs in assets as of Dec. 31, 2025, and operates across more than 35 locations globally, with principal offices in Geneva, Luxembourg, Paris and Monaco.

Sources

Edmond de Rothschild REIM — Official Announcement