Ardian launches real estate arm, hires head of real estate

Ardian, formerly AXA Private Equity, has announced the launch of a real estate investing arm, Ardian Real Estate, according to a statement. This is the firm’s fifth investment arm.

Ardian Real Estate will focus on European commercial real estate and will be led by Bertrand Julien-Laferrière, who has 30 years of international real estate experience, with senior roles at Accor, Unibail-Rodamco and Société Foncière Lyonnaise, where he was CEO.

In a statement, Dominique Senequier, president of Ardian, said Ardian Real Estate is aiming to manage more than €2 billion ($2.24 billion) in the next five years.

Ardian was sold to external investors and to its managers in March 2013. In September 2013, the spin-off was completed with Ardian's management and employees owning 46 percent of the company, external investors having 31 percent, and AXA Group taking 23 percent. 

Ardian currently manages $50 billion