Panel

Stefan Teague of Cushman & Wakefield engages Jonathan Pearce of Ivanhoé Cambridge (a global real estate leader with C$64 billion in AUM) and Jonathan Olynick of Manulife Investment Management (with 63 million square feet of space in 26 cities worldwide) over issues top of mind for investors in office and industrial sectors. Speakers assess the level of activity across their portfolios during the pandemic, outlining tenant relationship strategies, rent collection as well as flexibility with leasing terms aligning market realities with tenant needs. The panel delves into fundamentals to assess COVID-19 impact on vacancy and rent growth levels. Speakers dissect demographic/socio-economic trends and their implications for office demand (CBD vs suburban markets), footprint, on-site amenities. Switching to industrial, the experts examine the bull run for this asset class, identify challenges and approaches to scaling, and confirm growing appetite for supply-chain critical assets. The speakers also reflect on their acquisition strategies and assess investment opportunities in North America.

Student housing investment activity has been on the rise with significant amounts of institutional capital flowing into the asset class. We have invited top-tier U.S. investors to share insights into their strategies during the pandemic, to explain how the crises affected their portfolios and the markets, and what steps investors are taking to soften the impact of recession. The panelists reflect on the fundamentals, key industry trends and temporary shifts challenging the “recession resilient” reputation of the asset class as they reveal nuances and data pointing to sustained strong performance of the sector. Are we in a buyer’s market? How has COVID-19 impacted development and national supply pipeline? What changes and opportunities should investors anticipate with the new administration and as mass vaccination gets underway? Where will demand for student housing come from, and how are equity investors viewing the asset class?

COVID has accelerated trends happening in retail – one asset class most affected during the pandemic. Views and questions are many, and not everything is doom and gloom. A panel of senior executives/‘retail veterans’ share their thoughts on the fundamental changes retail is undergoing in North America, and what owners and retailers are doing to weather the storm. Although COVID has cemented the role of e-commerce, there will always be a place for bricks-and-mortar retailing. How can business marry physical and digital experiences to enhance and optimize customer experience? What creative ideas are there for retailers and owners to encourage more business? What will the malls of the future look like (think frictionless environment, last-mile distribution)? What land development opportunities are there for landlords? Tune in to hear from the experts.

A panel of senior executives from leading North American real estate investment funds with long-standing expertise in multi-family share their views on Canadian and US residential markets in a post/COVID environment, explain their response to the crises and evaluate growth prospects for an asset class that performed notably well during the pandemic. Collection and occupancy levels remained high – stability owing to swift stimulus packages on both sides of the border mitigating the effects of recessionary pressures. Inexpensive debt combined with asset class resiliency will drive investor demand, with strong capital flows to the sector expected over the coming years. Speakers also highlight the disparity between public and private markets providing the rationale for eventual correction. Reflecting on construction pipeline, supply of materials will likely result in stretched-out timelines; construction, however, will push forward. The panel also explores transaction volumes, cap rates, tenant turnover and offers projections for future growth and sources thereof.

Terri Troy of Placemore Capital leads a candid conversation with sector specialists covering major real estate asset classes: industrial, office, retail and residential. The panel offers a holistic view of the Canadian real estate market since the onset of the pandemic, assesses the investment climate and – using specific deal and portfolio examples – illustrates how GPs/LPs coped with the “surprises” of COVID-19. How did investors manage their pipeline and transaction activities? How was rent collection affected, what measures were taken to mitigate risk of revenue loss, and what portfolio adjustments or “Covid discounts” were essential? Speakers analyze their approaches to valuation, underwriting and use of leverage, discuss acquisitions and evaluate cap rates across property types and markets (gateway vs suburban markets). Concluding, the panelists explore GP-LP relations, fundraising as well as changes in LP due diligence.

Jim Clayton, Professor and Timothy R. Price Chair, Brookfield Centre in Real Estate & Infrastructure at York University is joined by two leading real estate executives, Paul Finkbeiner of Great-West LIFECO (overseeing a global real estate platform totaling $28 billion in AUM) and Jaime McKenna of Fengate Asset Management (responsible for the firm’s real estate business totaling $8 billion). The panelists discuss forces and factors shaping fund strategies in post/COVID environment, assess the impact of the pandemic on capital sources, allocation models, and share insights into deal structuring and portfolio risk management. Diversification, adaptability and the ability to transfer know-how across sectors are key to confronting uncertainties on the market. The speakers evaluate risks and opportunities for major asset classes, and remind the audience that understanding behavioural patterns, nature of tenant businesses and connecting the dots with macro are vital for prudent investment decision-making over the long-term.