The latest news in investment offerings, financial products and other services relevant to wealth advisors and their clients.

Van Lanschot Kempen Investment Management
Dutch wealth manager Van Lanschot Kempen Investment Management has launched its Private Equity Secondaries Evergreen Solution. The fund acquires existing private equity stakes in the secondary market, the firm said in a statement. In this market, existing stakes are acquired from other private equity investors, allowing new investors to invest in companies that are developed yet still show sufficient growth potential.

Private Equity Secondaries Evergreen Solution is an evergreen private equity structure, meaning that payouts from underlying investments are reinvested. Participants have the option to enter on a quarterly basis and, after a lock-up period of three years, also exit, depending on available liquidity. The fund invests in private equity funds in combination with co-investments. This contributes to the goal of creating a diversified portfolio across different sectors and regions. The addition of co-investments helps to reduce costs and accelerate the deployment of capital.

“We continuously expand the offering of our private market solutions to meet the strong interest from our clients,” Wendy Winkelhuijzen, member of the management board of Van Lanschot Kempen, said. “This was evident from the successful closing of our third European private equity strategy. Investing in secondaries offers our experienced investors, such as high net worth individuals and entrepreneurs with a long-term focus, further diversification in their private equity portfolio. Additionally, investments in this fund are made more quickly, resulting in a shorter investment cycle compared to traditional private equity investments through the primary market.” 

“This new fund specifically focuses on secondaries, where the specialists we select add value to medium-sized companies through improvements in operations and strategy, further professionalisation, and internationalisation,” Sven Smeets, head of the private equity strategy at Van Lanschot Kempen Investment Management, added.

Gresham House
tag|Gresham House">Gresham House, a specialist alternative asset manager and a large UK forestry asset manager, has announced the final close of its Forest Fund VI LP at £375 million ($500 million). 

This marks the firm’s largest-ever forestry fundraise, with commitments from institutional investors including London CIV, multiple Wales Pension Partnership member funds, and a Japanese investor.

The fund expands on existing support from Local Government Pension Schemes and high net worth individuals, the firm said in a statement. The capital raised in the final close will be deployed in a combination of unplanted land for productive woodland creation and established forests across the UK.

Gresham House Forest Fund VI LP is an asset-backed strategy designed to deliver diversified returns for investors as well as sequestering carbon and enhancing natural capital through supporting biodiversity. The asset portfolio comprises just over 6,000 hectares across 12 properties in Scotland and Wales. With a target net internal rate of return (IRR) of 8 per cent, the fund generates returns through sustainable timber harvesting and land appreciation as well as having the ability to generate revenue from renewable energy development and operation on the forest sites.

The firm highlighted how forestry has delivered strong, risk-adjusted returns over the past four decades, driven by rising land values, increasing timber prices, and continued investor demand for sustainable assets. Unlike mainstream asset classes, forestry remains resilient to macroeconomic cycles, with biological tree growth providing a natural yield. Gresham House expects the fund to benefit from long-term timber price appreciation, in line with inflation, and government-backed afforestation initiatives that enhance returns.

Over and above the target core financial forestry returns, the fund will also contribute to carbon reduction, biodiversity preservation and flood mitigation. It is expected to sequester 4.7 million tonnes of CO2 over the next 25 years. Where appropriate, investors in the fund will receive distributions in the form of carbon credits, which may be sold to provide an additional return or retained for carbon insetting.

Gresham House currently manages £3.4 billion in forestry assets, making it a UK leading forestry manager and the world’s seventh largest natural capital manager.

“This milestone fundraise is a clear reflection of the increasing global recognition of European forestry as a compelling asset class,” said Olly Hughes, managing director, Forestry at Gresham House. “UK and European forestry offers a unique combination of natural capital growth and long-term income streams, underpinned by the biological growth of trees and the security of underlying land ownership. As the transition to a lower-carbon economy accelerates, demand for sustainably sourced timber continues to rise, driven by government initiatives and the growing adoption of wood-based construction materials.”

“We are particularly pleased that this fund includes exposure to forestry assets in Wales which will not only support environmental objectives but also help create rural jobs and sustain local economies,” Cllr Elwyn Williams, chair of the Joint Governance Committee, on behalf of the investing member funds of the Wales Pension Partnership, added.

Berenberg
Hamburg-headquartered private bank Berenberg  has launched a new brand identity and strategy in partnership with the Design Bridge and Partners agency.

Based on the new brand strategy, a visual identity with a fresh colour scheme, updated coat of arms and the graphic ‘Pulse of Progress’ has been created. The aim is to communicate cooperation with diverse customer groups, entrepreneurial thinking and agile, cross-bank collaboration more strongly to the outside world and make them "visually tangible."

“With the rebranding, we are focusing on what is at the core of our work: the trusting relationship between client and contact person,” Klaus Naeve, member of the extended executive board, responsible for wealth and asset management, said.

The rebranding is part of a broader transformation: in addition to traditional asset management for high net worth private clients, Berenberg now offers investment solutions for various client groups, from private clients to family offices and various institutional investors. The new brand identity will be gradually introduced into all business divisions and markets.