The CPP Investment Board (officially Canada Pension Plan Investment Board) is a Canadian Crown corporation established by way of the 1997 Canada Pension Plan Investment Board Act, to oversee and invest the funds contributed to and held by the Canada Pension Plan (CPP). As of June 30, 2018, the CPP Investment Board manages over C$366 billion in investment assets for the Canada Pension Plan on behalf of 20 million Canadians. CPPIB is one of the world’s biggest pension funds.

The CPP Investment Board invests in private equity, public companies, and real estate. The CPPIB invests in real estate and made their first direct office investment in Seattle in 2016. Notable investments include 50% of the American pet store chain Petco,[10] 50% of American luxury department store chain Neiman Marcus, 50% of Australian office tower development International Towers Sydney, 40% of the Ontario Highway 407 toll highway, 21.5% of South Korean discount store chain Homeplus, and 19.8% of multinational media corporation Entertainment One.

Real Assets (RA) invests in and manages a portfolio of long-term, physical assets that generate attractive, risk-adjusted returns. These assets also help cushion the Fund against business-cycle volatility.

Our principal strategy is to work with strong operating partners and management teams who have deep, local expertise. As an engaged investor, we seek strong governance and transparency in all our joint ventures and private partnerships.

Major developed markets within our current portfolio include the U.S., U.K., Canada and Australia, where we invest in a broad spectrum of high-quality, tangible assets. We have also targeted China, Brazil and India as key growth markets.

We review investment returns on a risk-adjusted basis, taking into account geopolitical, macroeconomic and industry-specific factors for each opportunity. We are active across the risk-return spectrum, ranging from ground-up development projects to fully stabilized and income-producing assets.

Our team is comprised of Energy and Resources, Infrastructure, Power and Renewables, and three regional groups covering major global commercial property markets: Real Estate Investments – Americas, Real Estate Investments – Europe and Real Estate Investments – Asia. We also invest directly in private real estate debt, including first mortgages and mezzanine loans through our Private Real Estate Debt Group.

Real Estate Investments – Europe

This group participates in equity real estate investments across Europe and India, through direct joint ventures and funds.

The team is primarily focused on the United Kingdom and continental Europe, particularly in the retail, office and multifamily residential sectors. Investments include a number of high profile retail and office complexes in London and other urban centres in Europe. Its interests also include select investments in emerging Europe. In these developing markets, the group’s investment professionals work with local partners to access specialized market expertise.

Private Real Estate Debt

This group invests directly in all types of private real estate debt, including first-mortgages, b-notes, mezzanine loans, preferred equity and single-asset CMBS.

Private Real Estate Debt focuses on positions with terms of three to 15 years, largely in the office, retail, industrial and multi-family sectors in North America, Western Europe and Japan.

The team of dedicated real estate debt professionals draws upon the market knowledge and underwriting capability of the broader CPPIB real estate department.