Scott Kelly

Real Asset Management (RAM) is proud to announce it has been ranked second among Australian-headquartered firms in the APAC Fund Manager Guide.

This recognition follows RAM’s successful raising of $796 million in private markets over the last five years, highlighting its strength and resilience in a competitive sector.

PERE’s APAC Fund Manager Guide ranks and profiles the top 50 real estate fund managers in the Asia-Pacific region and acts as a trusted benchmark for analysing performance and investment excellence. RAM also secured the 38th spot overall.

Reflecting on this achievement, Scott Kelly, Group CEO of RAM, commented on the firm’s journey and continued success: “We are honoured to be recognised as one of the Australia’s leading investment firms. Since 2010, RAM has been investing in real asset projects across the Asia-Pacific region, delivering value for our clients. This recognition is a testament to our team’s dedication and the trust our investors place in us,”

RAM Executive Director and Head of Real Estate Matthew Strotton remarked on the Australian economic and demographic trends emphasised in the Guide, which he says supports RAM’s strategic focus areas, particularly healthcare property.

“As the Guide has highlighted, Australia’s favourable demographics — especially its aging population — presents unique opportunities in the healthcare sector. Over the next 12-18 months, healthcare will remain an attractive investment area due to broader themes, including the institutionalisation of the asset class.”

“RAM’s strategic focus and proven track record in healthcare properties enable us to continue capturing value in an evolving real estate landscape, driving sustainable returns for our investors,” Mr Strotton concluded.

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Matthew Strotton

Australian asset manager Real Asset Management (RAM) has announced the launch of the RAM Australia Healthcare Opportunity Fund (HOF), which will joint venture with a large South-East Asian Sovereign Wealth Fund.

The strategy will invest in the healthcare sector and is specifically targeting development opportunities in core Australian markets. RAM will invest a substantial amount alongside its new partner through its own balance sheet and its newly launched HOF.

“We are very pleased to broaden our reach into the healthcare sector with a major global capital partner,” said Matthew Strotton, RAM Executive Director and Head of Real Estate.

With a proven track record in the healthcare real estate sector through the ASX-listed RAM Essential Services Property Fund (ASX: REP), Strotton stated that RAM will leverage its experience, expertise, and established relationships with operating partners to provide actively managed opportunities to investors through the repositioning and development of high-quality healthcare assets.

“RAM’s objective has been to position for a wider range of risk assets and to create synergy in operations, which will complement our flagship listed vehicle REP. We have expanded our development and deal origination capabilities and see this as a natural progression for RAM and our investors.”

Over the last 20 years, health expenditure has increased from $91 billion to $220 billion, with an average growth rate of 4.0% per year, and the sector remains sought after by institutions. With healthcare continuing to display strong long-term fundamentals, RAM envisions the potential to deploy in excess of $1 billion in this sector in the near term.

“Much of our deal origination is derived from the strong relationships and bottom-up approach that we adopt with our operating partners. Understanding and respecting their space needs and those of the communities they operate in are central to our day-to-day management.” Strotton said.

RAM has been actively investing in the sector since 2018 and currently manages a portfolio of 28 healthcare real estate assets across Australia valued at almost half a billion, which forms part of RAM’s total $1.6 billion real estate portfolio. Twenty-three of these healthcare assets are held in REP.

The RAM Australia Healthcare Opportunity Fund aims to be at the forefront of the evolving healthcare landscape, supporting the increasing demand for healthcare facilities and strengthening the resilience and growth potential of the Australian healthcare real estate market.

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Mr Strotton has more than 25 years’ real estate experience in global markets across capital transactions, product development, investment and funds management.

He joins RAM after more than 19 years at QIC Global Real Estate where he was Global Director and Head of Funds Management, with responsibility for the group’s Australian and United States portfolios.

Matthew was instrumental in increasing QIC’s real estate AUM by over $10 billion. He established QIC’s real estate brand and capabilities in the United States and assembled large tranches of the group’s global portfolio by constructing long term solutions for investment partners. Prior to joining QIC, he worked for Lendlease in a range of development roles in Australia.

Strotton joins RAM during a transformational period that’s seen significant growth across all areas of the business. During 2021, RAM’s global headcount increased by almost 60% to more than 100 employees in five offices across the Asia-Pacific Region.

As at 31 December 2021, RAM’s total AUM had increased more than 65% year on year to more than $2.74 billion, with Real Estate AUM surpassing $1 billion.

RAM CEO Australia Scott Kelly said hiring Strotton represented a further strengthening of a talented Real Estate team and will provide many opportunities to apply his expertise and experience.

“Matthew will play an integral role in crystallising our existing strategic plans and platforms in the unlisted and listed spaces as well as forging new partnerships and opportunities,” he added.

In the third quarter of 2021 RAM listed its first Real Estate Investment Trust on the ASX, the RAM Essential Services Property Fund (ASX:REP). The Fund consists of a geographically diversified and defensive portfolio of pure medical and essential retail based properties, underpinned by a high-quality essential services tenant profile including hospital operators and leading national supermarkets, and offers growth opportunities through an activated and significant value-add pipeline.

RAM has also acquired 4 properties for its RAM Diversified Property Fund, a new defensive unlisted property fund with a focus on office, retail, industrial and alternative sectors.

“I am excited to join a highly successful and energised team to deliver on existing successes and to bring new avenues of capital solutions and growth to the RAM group.” said Strotton.

Other RAM hires since January 2022 include:

• Lang Messer has joined RAM in Brisbane as Head of Investor Relations to help the firm connect with its growing institutional client base, with a particular focus on its listed offering. Lang has over 20 years of experience in finance and capital markets gained in Australia and the United Kingdom. Prior to joining RAM, he was Director at Equitory, a boutique Investor Relations Consultancy providing outsourced IR capability to high growth companies listed on London’s AIM and Main markets.
• Natasha Van Kempen has joined RAM in Brisbane as a Development Analyst. With a number of projects underway and many more scheduled to commence in 2022, Natasha is responsible for assisting with RAM’s growing value-add pipeline throughout the portfolio. Prior to joining RAM, Natasha worked within multiple sectors of the property industry having previously worked for Stockland, Colliers International and Cushman & Wakefield.
• Kala Muthusamy has joined RAM in Sydney as a Financial Controller. After starting her career at Ernst and Young and becoming a tax advisor at Nexia Australia, Kala was a Finance Manager at the OpenMarkets Australia and a Financial Controller at Acrux prior to joining RAM.
• Josephine Chan has joined RAM in Melbourne as a Business Development Manager. She previously worked for La Trobe as a Business Development Manager, and more recently as a Senior Business Development and Client Relationship Manager for BC Invest.

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