[파이낸셜뉴스] 프린시플 글로벌 인베스터스(Principal Global Investors)는 최근 서울 사무소를 열고 김종현 전 라살 인베스트먼트 매니지먼트 전무(매니징디렉터 겸 투자유치 총괄)를 매니징디렉터(MD) 겸 한국 대표로 선임했다고 17일 밝혔다.
프린시플 글로벌 인베스터스는 6월 말 기준 5071억달러 규모 고객 자산을 운용하는 글로벌 10대 부동산 자산운용사다. 미국과 유럽, 아시아 등에서 주식, 채권, 부동산, 헤지펀드 등 다양한 자산에 투자하고 있다. 부동산 분야에서만 1000억달러 이상의 자산을 운용한다. 부동산 사모 주식(480억달러), 사모 부채(23억6000만달러), 공모 주식(218억달러), 공모 부채(66억달러) 순이다.
김 대표는 북아시아 기관 영업 총괄인 레슬리 로 매니징디렉터와 긴밀히 협력, 새로운 고객 관계를 발굴하고 발전시켜 나간다는 계획이다.
그는 연세대 경영학과를 졸업하고 뉴욕대에서 부동산 금융학 석사 학위를 취득했다. 자산운용 업계에서 20여년간 경험을 쌓았다.
그는 "한국은 수십 년 동안 특히 크로스보더(국경간거래) 투자에서 아시아에서 가장 활발한 자본 시장 중 하나다. 기관투자자들의 자산운용규모(AUM)가 빠르게 증가함에 따라 프린시플은 여전히 시장에서 한국의 성장 잠재력을 높게 보고 있다"며 "해외 코어 부동산 주식, 메자닌 부동산 대출, 공모증권, 채권 및 사모 직접 대출을 한국 기관투자자들에게 제안한다"며 "앞으로 1년 간 부동산 부채, 주식, 사모 대출에 집중할 예정"이라고 설명했다.
김 대표는 “프린시플 부동산 개발팀이 참여한 미국 텍사스주 오스틴의 인디드 타워(Indeed Tower)는 최근 미국 오스틴의 얼반 랜드 인스티튜트(ULI·Ulban Land Institute)로부터 ‘최고의 프로젝트 디자인’을 수상했다. ESG(환경·사회·지배구조)를 활용해 자산의 가치를 높인 대표적인 사례다”며 “프린시플은 300명 이상의 부동산 투자 전문가로 구성된 글로벌 네트워크를 통해 고객의 위험 대비 수익 목표를 기반으로 투자하는 맞춤형 접근 방식을 취하고 있다”고 말했다.
■프린시플 서울 사무소 개소 및 김종현 한국 대표 선임 영문 소개
Principal Global Investors® opened an office in Seoul to strengthen and deepen the firm’s existing client relationships in South Korea. At the same time, John Kim joined the firm as managing director and head of South Korea to lead the business development efforts for the firm’s client-base in the market. Kim will help identify and develop new client relationships, working closely with Lesley Lo, managing director and head of North Asia institutional sales.
Q&A with John Kim, managing director and head of South Korea
What makes South Korea an attractive market for a global asset management company?
South Korea has been among the most active capital markets in Asia for decades, particularly in cross-border investments. With rapid increase in AuMs in institutional investors, we still see growth potential in the market. South Korea is an important market for our asset management business, and now with a local presence, we will continue to develop and build our profile in the country.
What are the areas of growth you expect to see in the South Korean institutional market?
Potential areas of growth include pensions, mutual aids/benefits associations and insurance companies. Institutional investors in South Korea have shown that they are very sophisticated and many are eager to explore global investment opportunities across a variety of asset classes. Our goal is to listen to their needs, to identity their asset allocation and strategy goals, and eventually to provide the right solutions either from existing product lines and or customized solutions.
What types of global investment strategies are in demand with Korean investors currently? Are there others you’re looking to add?
Investment capability offerings for clients in South Korea currently include offshore core equity real estate, mezzanine real estate loans, public securities, fixed income, and private direct lending. Over the next year, real estate debt and equity, and also private lending, will be areas of focus.
You come to Principal with a real estate background, can you share more on the real estate capabilities that are available to Korean investors?
Globally, we are a top 10 real estate manager with more than $100 billion in assets under management as of June-end 2022. Principal provides experience through dedicated teams across each of the four distinct “quadrants” of commercial real estate investing: private equity ($48.0B), private debt ($23.6), public equity ($21.8B), public debt ($6.6B). For public real estate equity, we are a top 5 largest manager of REIT securities. Recently a development Principal Real Estate completed for Indeed Tower, Austin, TX was awarded “Best Project Design” by the Urban Land Institute (ULI), Austin USA. It is a great example of Principal Real Estate’s track record in development, utilizing ESG to drive value. Through our global network of more than 300 real estate investment professionals, we take a tailored approach to investing client capital based on their specific risk/return objectives.
About John Kim
John Kim brings nearly 20 years of financial services experience to Principal across a wide array of disciplines, including asset management, business planning, investor relations, private credit investing, and real estate acquisitions. Most recently, he was managing director and head of investor relations in South Korea for LaSalle Investment Management, a real estate investment management firm. In addition to his diverse industry experience, he holds a master’s degree in real estate finance from New York University and a bachelor’s degree in business administration from Yonsei University.
About Principal Global Investors®
Principal Global Investors® leads global asset management at Principal®. As a multi-investment team firm, we bring a focused perspective and offer expertise across a host of asset classes.
At our core, we are driven by our purpose to help investors and businesses achieve their financial goals. Our global investment professionals deliver investment solutions for public and private pension funds, foundations and endowments, central banks, insurance companies, sub-advisory arrangements, sovereign wealth funds and individual portfolios.
Principal Global Investors manages approximately $507.1 billion in assets on behalf of over 800 institutional clients located in over 80 markets as well as retirement plans and individual clients, reflecting our worldwide market reach and experience and our commitment to high-quality research and service (as of June 30, 2022).
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