Zoe Hughes

The São Paulo-based firm raised more than half the capital since September 2008, targeting North American and European investors. The firm will focus on office and affordable housing developments in Brazil.

Jacqueline Brady, Margaret Blakely, Brent Morris and five others have joined Urdang as part of the firm’s push into real estate debt. The team will help advise two multi-billion dollar Capmark funds.

The struggling Central European property firm, Orco Property Group, has reportedly hired UBS bank to help find potential new investors. Colony is still in talks to acquire a stake in the group after Orco filed for bankruptcy protection.

Jeff Giller is leaving the San Francisco-based secondaries firm after four years. Josh Cleveland and Brendan MacDonald have already left. The departure triggers a key man clause in Liquid’s $570m LRP Fund IV.

Prudential Real Estate Investors was one of only two private equity real estate firms to survive the RTC intact, becoming – in time – one of the world’s largest real estate investment managers. Despite its global heft though, chief executive officer Allen Smith believes the firm is as nimble, and flexible, as any boutique operation. PERE Magazine October 2009

The investment manager has tapped Cathy Ebert to play the role that placement agents once did. PERE magazine October 2009

Despite Prudential Real Estate Investors' global heft, chief executive officer Allen Smith believes the firm is as nimble, and flexible, as any boutique operation. By Zoe Hughes

The private equity real estate firm, together with Fortress, DE Shaw and Five Mile, has offered $3.5bn for the hotel group’s $4.1bn first mortgage, according to the WSJ. The plan would rival a bankruptcy court reorganisation plan.

Starwood Capital, Fortress, DE Shaw and Five Mile have offered $3.5bn for the hotel group’s $4.1bn first mortgage, according to the WSJ.

Around 116 opportunistic funds were seeking to raise $109bn in capital as of August, according to Clerestory Capital Partners. By Q2, 47 funds targeting $35.5bn failed to come to market or were put on hold, particularly emerging market strategies.