Bridge Industrial, the privately-owned real estate investment management firm, has appointed Charles Baigler to lead its pan-European operations.
Baigler joins from Pictet Alternative Advisers, part of the Pictet Group, where he worked for five years as head of direct real estate, managing the firm’s pan-European private equity real estate funds.
Prior to this, he founded CBRE Investment Management’s flagship value-add fund series Europe Value Partners, establishing, raising, and deploying two pan-European real estate funds.
Over his 25-year real estate career, Bridge Industrial said Baigler had invested more than $10 billion across all real estate asset classes in over 15 countries, with a primary focus on the industrial and logistics sector. He has also previously held senior roles at Rockspring, Catalyst Capital and RBS.
As head of Europe, Baigler will be responsible for leading Bridge’s acquisition and development activities throughout Europe and will be based in the company’s London office.
He will also lead the growth of the corporate and future regional teams, with an initial focus on the core industrial markets in France, Germany and the Netherlands.
Steve Poulos, founder, chief executive and partner at Bridge Industrial, said in a statement: “Having experienced a meaningful market correction across Europe over the last couple of years, now is the right time to invest in both standing assets and development sites in the core markets of France, Germany, the UK, and the Netherlands, acquiring high quality assets below replacement cost and starting the development process ready for a new cycle.
“Our strategy, as with all Bridge’s assets, is to create core assets in irreplaceable locations which can be held on a long-term basis. I’m delighted to be bringing my experience to this strong, international, entrepreneurial team which has a fantastic track record.”
Bridge, formed in 2000 and headquartered in Chicago, the firm focuses on the development of Class A industrial real estate across the US and London.
The firm launched its UK operations in November 2020 and has since built a 750,000-square-foot portfolio within the M25 across six sites.