CIM Group Announces Partnership to Attract Japanese Investors

By Keith Loria, Contributing Editor

Tatsuo Yasunaga, Mitsui’s president & CEO

Los Angeles and Tokyo—A strategic partnership between CIM Group LLC and Mitsui & Co. Ltd. will look to expand both organizations’ growth initiatives in real estate and infrastructure investments across North America.

“We are excited to partner with Mitsui to position CIM to be the first choice for Japanese investors interested in real estate and infrastructure investments in North America,” Avi Shemesh, CIM Group’s co-founder & principal, said in a prepared release. “This partnership will allow CIM to better meet the growing needs of our investors.”

Mitsui will invest $450 million to $550 million in CIM that will be utilized to fund CIM’s continued growth and it also committed capital to multiple CIM funds. Adjustments will be made based on terms of the agreement.

“Our investment in CIM was the culmination of a systematic search for a best-in-class manager in the real-asset management business,” Tatsuo Yasunaga, Mitsui’s president & CEO, said. “Investing in CIM is consistent with our strategic plan to expand Mitsui’s real-asset management business to the U.S. and to enhance Mitsui’s global assets under management.”

Through the partnership, Mitsui will enter the U.S. real estate asset management market for the first time and will enhance its steady profit base with CIM positioned at the core of its international asset management strategy.

Mitsui has deep experience in listing and managing public Japanese REITs, private fund management and partnering with investment managers. In addition, through its wholly owned subsidiary, Japan Alternative Investment Co., Ltd., it is a leading advisor to Japanese institutional investors.