Value-Add Entry Strategies for Italian Real Estate

Federico Bianchi is a Managing Director & Head of Asset Management at Starwood Capital Europe, based in London and responsible for the management of the European assets. Prior to joining Starwood, Federico was a Principal, Asset Management at GreenOak Real Estate (London), where he worked for 4 years with a specific focus on Spain and Italy. Previously, Federico was Italian Country Manager and a Member of the European Board of ISG; at that time he also joined the Executive Committee of ULI in Italy. Prior to that, he served as a Director of Asset Management at Condotte Real Estate and a Director at Tishman Speyer Properties, where he was overseeing deals and projects for a combined value of more than € 1.5 Bn.

Carlo heads the CA Ventures’ European platform and he is responsible for all development activity, acquisitions and operations in the region. Prior to that he had set-up and served as CEO for Actis London development platform in West Africa where he developed $500m of commercial class A assets. Between 2002 and 2010, he spent eight years as MD with Hines Europe. His time with Hines included responsibilities for the development of large mix-use scheme Porta Nuova in Milan, the pan-European Hines European Development Fund and the Hines CalPERS Spain Fund. He is a registered architect, graduated from the Politecnico di Torino (Italy) and received an MBA from the McCombs School of Business at the University of Texas at Austin

Paola Ricciardi is MD & Chairman of the Board of Duff & Phelps Real Estate Advisory Group (REAG) in Italy. In addition to supervising the main service lines (Advisory, R4loans, Professional Services and Debt Advisory Services), she also coordinates business operations in Italy. Previously, as European Coordinating Manager, she was responsible of supervising pan-European projects and cross-border projects with USA. She is a lecturer at the University of Milan and Turin. She is a Member of the Italian Professional Association of Architects and Member of Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS). In 2006 she helped to found AREL (Real Estate Ladies Italian Association).

Rob joined Cromwell Property Group as a Fund Manager quickly taking on further responsibility for a number of key funds. With Rob's experience and expertise in acquisitions, he took on the role as Head of Transactions for Europe, managing the regional transaction teams, underwriting and closing on all acquisitions for both in-house Funds and Joint Venture partners. Now as Head of Investments, Rob’s focus is growing the European business through new Fund Products, Joint Ventures and strategic acquisitions. Rob has over 24 years of commercial property experience. Prior to joining the business, he worked at the investment agency, Allsop, and as an acquisitions and development specialist at ING Investment Management.

Senior Vice President and Country Head Italy

Valeria Falcone is Managing Director for Barings Real Estate, a member of Mass Mutual Financial Group, based in Milan and covering the role Portfolio Manager for Barings Europe Value Add Fund and Italy Country Head. Since she joined Barings covered the role of Managing Director and Real Estate Country Head for The Carlyle Group for 11 years, where she had served also as Managing Director of Carlyle Real Estate SGR and board member for several spv vehicles across Europe. Prior to joining Carlyle, Valeria Falcone was with Pirelli & C. Real Estate (now Prelios), one of the largest Italian Real Estate Company with various roles. Prior to that Valeria Falcone was with CityBank as Project and Operational Manager and in Astrim as a Project Manager

Mr Vanni is a Managing Director at Deutsche Asset & Wealth Management for the real estate investment business (formerly RREEF Real Estate) within the Alternatives and Real Assets platform. Mr. Vanni joined the firm in June 2007. Since then he has accomplished over £2 billion restructuring of senior, mezzanine and CMBS. Previously, he worked at JP Morgan commercial mortgage group. Over the last ten years, he has completed real estate transactions with an aggregate value in excess of £8 billion in the form of equity, senior, mezzanine, distressed debt and structured finance transactions.

Carlo heads the CA Ventures’ European platform and he is responsible for all development activity, acquisitions and operations in the region. Prior to that he had set-up and served as CEO for Actis London development platform in West Africa where he developed $500m of commercial class A assets. Between 2002 and 2010, he spent eight years as MD with Hines Europe. His time with Hines included responsibilities for the development of large mix-use scheme Porta Nuova in Milan, the pan-European Hines European Development Fund and the Hines CalPERS Spain Fund. He is a registered architect, graduated from the Politecnico di Torino (Italy) and received an MBA from the McCombs School of Business at the University of Texas at Austin

Clemente has over 25 years of real estate and finance expertise. Since 2010, as Head of the Real Estate Division of Cassa Depositi e Prestiti, he has worked with CDP Immobiliare/CDP Investimenti SGR to develop a fund concerning local and PA real estate for an overall worth of €1bn. In 2000, he founded Investire Immobiliare SGR, which quickly became one of the largest real estate companies in Italy, with a €5bn portfolio. He has promoted some of the most successful real estate funds in the sector and handled the sale of the Government’s real estate portfolio. He has also managed the sale of FIAT Group &IPI SpA’s real estate portfolio, managed Cushman & Wakefield Italia's Investment Department, and spent 6 years at Knight Frank in London.

Diego has been Head of Natixis Real Estate Finance Italy since 2006. A graduate in Economics at the University of Bergamo, he has been working in the banking sector for more than 30 years in various positions (Credit Dept., Marketing, Corporate Front Office) and institutions (BAI, former Deutsche Bank, and Creberg, Credit Lyonnais Italian branch). In 1998, he joined the HQs of Credit Lyonnais in Paris as Senior Credit Officer. In 2001, he moved to Chicago as Large Corporate Senior Relationship Manager of Credit Lyonnais Americas. In 2003, he was appointed Deputy Group Head of the RE team of Calyon in Milan until 2006 when he joined Natixis to lead the Italian Real Estate Desk of the Group.

Fabio Curcio Valentini is the Owner of CVHP.Working with major real estate companies, such as Kryalos SGR,Investire SGR,COIMA SGR with interests in hospitality, retail,residential and offices abroad,he managed relationships and coordinated projects with major international hotel chains and international clients like Starwood Capital.Since 2005 he was the Project Manager of Statuto Group and he held the position of Director for the company managing the Crown Plaza Hotel in London. In 2014 he founded his Company CVHP ensuring full independence of services while providing a full commitment to clients' interests. As a project,construction and owner he completed important projects such as Il Sereno Hotel,Le Sereno Saint Barth,St Regis Venice.

Experienced Real Estate Professional with a demonstrated track record of success in real estate private equity and investment management in USA and Europe. Extensive Acquisition and Asset Management experience, skilled in Joint Ventures, Transaction Structuring, Negotiation, and Business Plan Execution.

Federico Bianchi is a Managing Director & Head of Asset Management at Starwood Capital Europe, based in London and responsible for the management of the European assets. Prior to joining Starwood, Federico was a Principal, Asset Management at GreenOak Real Estate (London), where he worked for 4 years with a specific focus on Spain and Italy. Previously, Federico was Italian Country Manager and a Member of the European Board of ISG; at that time he also joined the Executive Committee of ULI in Italy. Prior to that, he served as a Director of Asset Management at Condotte Real Estate and a Director at Tishman Speyer Properties, where he was overseeing deals and projects for a combined value of more than € 1.5 Bn.