Kuwait Financial Centre “Markaz” has announced successful exits from a series of industrial real estate investments in the United States and Europe, marking a significant milestone in its international real estate strategy. These exits, executed through strategic partnerships with global firms including Panattoni and Scannell Properties, represent a combined asset value exceeding USD 100 million.
The projects span industrial developments and mezzanine credit structures, reflecting Markaz’s dual-track investment approach across development and real estate credit strategies. Despite a challenging global macroeconomic environment, the exits underscore the company’s disciplined investment execution and robust market insight.
“Our disciplined investment approach, focused on fundamentals and resilience, allowed us to generate stable returns even in volatile conditions,” said Sami Shabshab, Managing Director, International Real Estate at Markaz. “We timed these exits to align with market cycles and partnered with industry leaders to manage execution risk and preserve investor value.”
Strategic Focus on Industrial and Credit Opportunities
The exited investments included:
- Industrial development projects in key US and European logistics hubs
- A mezzanine financing deal for a US industrial portfolio with Scannell Properties
Markaz’s strategic pivot toward logistics, warehousing, and structured real estate credit has helped it capture demand resilience and diversification benefits in turbulent market cycles. These exits affirm the company’s strategy of targeted exposure, timely execution, and proactive risk management.
“These results reflect the strength of our international real estate team and our commitment to putting clients first,” said Abdullatif Al-Nusif, Managing Director of Wealth Management and Business Development. “By maintaining a long-term view and focusing on high-conviction sectors, we continue to construct portfolios designed to weather economic cycles.”
A Legacy of Global Real Estate Leadership
Markaz has been an active player in the US real estate market since 1977 and has executed international real estate strategies through Mar-Gulf Management, its dedicated real estate arm, since 1988. Over the past 37 years, the firm has invested across industrial, storage, residential, retail, and office sectors.
Looking forward, Markaz will focus on:
- Development and value-add strategies in industrial and living sectors
- Expansion of real estate credit services, including senior debt and mezzanine financing
- Targeting high-demand geographies through partnerships with proven operators
- Positioning for expected credit easing and a more favorable interest rate environment in 2025
50 Years of Investment Excellence
As Markaz celebrates its 50th anniversary, the company reaffirms its dedication to creating long-term value through a combination of market insight, innovation, and disciplined investment execution. The recent exits are emblematic of a strategy designed to provide resilient, sustainable returns in a rapidly evolving global real estate landscape.
About Markaz:
Founded in 1974, Kuwait Financial Centre “Markaz” is a leading investment management and research firm in the MENA region, with a strong track record in real estate, asset management, and investment banking.
