Sound Point Capital Names Faris AbiNader Head of Real Estate Capital Formation

Sound Point Capital has appointed Faris AbiNader as Head of Real Estate Capital Formation, the firm announced Sept. 1, adding a dedicated institutional fundraiser to its commercial real estate credit business as that platform has grown to multi-billion-dollar scale.

The Appointment

AbiNader will be responsible for deepening relationships with institutional investors, consultants, and distribution partners on behalf of Sound Point Capital's real estate strategy. He joins from Cerberus Capital Management, where he led capital formation for the residential investment platform. Prior to Cerberus, AbiNader held business-development roles at Ellington Management Group, EnTrust Global, and Fortigent.

About Sound Point Capital's Real Estate Platform

Sound Point Capital describes itself as a global alternative credit manager with more than $44 billion in assets under management. The firm's real estate strategy focuses on senior, first-lien mortgages on mid-market transitional real estate, with an emphasis on multifamily and industrial assets.

Fundraising has been a prominent priority across the platform. Sound Point reported a $1.1 billion first close for Strategic Capital Fund III, followed by a $1.5 billion final close for that vehicle, underscoring the firm's appetite for scaling its capital-raising operations.

Market Context

The appointment comes as commercial real estate credit markets face a substantial refinancing cycle. An estimated $875 billion of commercial and multifamily mortgage balances are set to mature in 2026, with another $652 billion due in 2027. Borrowers are refinancing into a higher-rate environment, with newly originated CRE loans pricing at approximately 6.2% compared with roughly 4.3% on the debt being replaced — a dynamic that has created both pressure on sponsors and deployment opportunities for well-capitalized lenders.

Overall U.S. commercial real estate investment activity is forecast to improve in 2026. CBRE projects investment volume to rise 16% to $562 billion, while a separate outlook places total volume near $605 billion, with cap rates stabilizing around 6.0% as investors prioritize income stability and asset quality.

Among property sectors, multifamily fundamentals have been improving as new supply slows, with demand outpacing new supply for the first time in nearly five years as of mid-2026, according to the National Association of Realtors. Industrial assets continue to absorb a historically large development pipeline, though occupancy remains comparatively healthy and pricing has broadly stabilized. Retail vacancy sits near 4.3%, one of the tightest readings across major property types. Office remains the most bifurcated sector, with capital concentrating in premier assets while weaker properties continue to face valuation and leasing pressure.

Strategic Implications

The hire signals that Sound Point Capital is moving to build a more institutionalized fundraising infrastructure around its real estate credit strategy at a time when private credit lenders have been gaining share from banks and other balance-sheet lenders that remain constrained. AbiNader's background in institutional capital formation positions him to pursue the long-duration investor relationships that firms in the CRE credit space increasingly depend on to scale origination capacity.