Property investment managers, Protego Real Estate Investors, are expanding into Europe by setting up an office in Rotterdam. Newly-appointed...

Property investment managers, Protego Real Estate Investors, are expanding into Europe by setting up an office in Rotterdam. Newly-appointed Peter de Haas, former senior portfolio strategist at PGGM, the second largest Dutch pension fund, will run the office as international investment director. The office, which will open in March 2006, will be a branch of the UK business. Mr de Haas will work with Iain Reid, Charles Weeks and the business development team in London, to create property derivatives in a select number of countries, as well the creation of funds in Europe and other major international markets. Protego was launched in 2004 and now has property and other assets under management of over €1 billion ($1.214 billion), and been a major player in creating a successful UK property derivatives market. It has acquired a substantial portfolio of retail and industrial assets for UBS Global Wealth Management and launched the Protego UK Property Fund.