Partners Group, the Swiss-based global private equity firm, announced its acquisition of Empira Group, a real estate investment platform. The financial terms of the acquisition were not disclosed.
Founded in 2014 and headquartered in Switzerland, Empira Group is focused on the US and European residential sectors. The company has a 250-person workforce and 13 global offices. Within its real estate credit segment, Empira Group offers a range of financing solutions, including senior and junior loans, whole-loan and mezzanine financing, preferred equity, and joint venture opportunities.
Following the acquisition, Empira Group will continue to operate under its existing brand as part of Partners Group, with the ambition to become a pan-European platform. This is Partners Group’s third acquisition of the year, following its purchase of Trinity Investments, a US-based hospitality-focused real estate investor, in April and Citivale, a UK-based logistics real estate developer and asset manager, in February.
“This strategic acquisition supports Partners Group’s long-term growth in real estate and brings Empira Group’s operational expertise to our established global investment platform at a pivotal moment for the real estate industry,” said Karim Habra, global co-head for real estate at Partners Group. “The significant development and operator skills gained from this acquisition position Partners Group to lead in this evolving landscape, moving beyond traditional ownership strategies to embrace a new era of asset transformation and innovation. We are delighted to welcome Lahcen Knapp and the wider Empira team to Partners Group.”
Lahcen Knapp, founder and chairman of Empira Group, added, “Empira Group’s investment focus and entrepreneurial spirit is strongly aligned with that of Partners Group. We believe the combination of our expertise and resources with Partners Group’s powerful private markets platform will enable us to better source, build, and manage residential real estate for a new era. Together, we will find innovative solutions to capitalize on the broad secular growth trends driving the asset class. This acquisition marks a new chapter in Empira’s history, at a time when the industry requires a renewed focus on operational depth.”