Our approach
We leverage our integrated private markets platform to design multi-asset solutions across debt and equity to meet a wide variety of client objectives. By drawing on the expertise of our teams across real estate, infrastructure, and structured and private debt, we seek to source unique deal opportunities and deploy capital in an efficient way.
Through our scale, we have deep, direct market access and high visibility of off-market deals in mainstream and niche sectors. Our highly skilled team has the experience to manage the complexity of real assets – and their risks – with the aim of delivering robust risk-adjusted returns.
Environmental, social and governance (ESG) considerations are fully embedded throughout our investment process, from origination through to development, ongoing asset management and reporting.*
Potential benefits
Investors can access the benefits delivered by each real asset type in their portfolio, with a bespoke design and construction to meet their requirements.
Multi-asset mindset
Our scale and expertise allow us to source unique deal opportunities across a broad range of real assets, through debt, equity and direct ownership. This helps us build portfolios seeking to meet specific client investment objectives.
Efficient deployment
We target rapid deal execution and have a robust and sustainable pipeline, with a high success rate of deals.
Investing with purpose
ESG considerations are fully integrated throughout our investment process as we seek to directly invest in best-in-class real assets and encourage long-term, responsible investment.*
*ESG integration means the integration of ESG factors and consideration of sustainability risk as part of the investment decision making process. This process is applied beyond any specific binding constraints (in the objective or strategy of the fund as detailed in the prospectus or investment management agreement and in accordance with our Baseline Exclusions Policy). The investment manager retains discretion on decision making taking all risks into account, beyond any binding criteria.
Key risks of private markets funds
Investment risk
The value of an investment and any income from it can go down as well as up. Investors may not get back the original amount invested.
Valuation risk
Where funds are invested in real estate / infrastructure, investors may not be able to switch or cash in an investment when they want because real estate / infrastructure may not always be readily saleable. If this is the case, we may defer a request to switch or cash in shares or units. Investors should also bear in mind that the valuation of real estate is generally a matter of valuers’ opinion rather than fact.
Private markets team
Daniel McHugh
Chief Investment Officer
Ben Sanderson
Managing Director, Real Estate
Darryl Murphy
Managing Director, Infrastructure
Melanie Collett
Managing Director, Head of Investment Implementation, Private Markets
Mark Meiklejon
Head of Real Asset Investment Specialists
Need more information?
For further information, please contact our investment sales team.
Explore our private markets range
Real Assets Study 2024
Demand remains strong, but the investment drivers are changing. At a time of macroeconomic uncertainty, real assets continue to play a significant role in the investment strategies of global institutions. The sixth edition of the Aviva Investors Real Assets Study is our biggest yet and seeks to answer some key questions.
Private markets views
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Real Assets
Seizing the moment: The outlook for real estate debt
24 Sep 2024
Gregor Bamert, Sima Kotecha and Nick Solomon discuss the recovery in real estate debt markets in 2024 and the opportunities emerging.
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Real Assets
Get networking: Will the next decade be a golden age for UK infrastructure?
3 Sep 2024
While there are obstacles to overcome, the coming years could see new opportunities for the UK government and the private sector to work together on infrastructure projects, says Darryl Murphy.
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Real Assets
Real asset stories: Curtain House
8 Aug 2024
In the first instalment of a new series of case studies on our real asset investments, we look at Curtain House, a Victorian warehouse Aviva Investors is converting into a modern, environmentally friendly office building.
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Real Assets
Illiquidity premia in private debt: Q2 2024
6 Aug 2024
In our latest real assets deep dive, our research team explains how our data on illiquidity premia indicates the benefits of a multi-asset approach to private debt investing.
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Real Assets
Relative value in real assets: A spectrum of opportunities
2 Aug 2024
Our real assets research team drills into proprietary data to compare risk and return across sectors.
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Pensions
A new chapter: Time to prepare for the next phase of the real estate cycle
17 Jul 2024
David Hedalen and Jonathan Bayfield from our real assets research team highlight data that shows real estate markets in the UK and Europe may be on the brink of an important shift.
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Responsible Investing
The future of green premia in real estate, part two: Searching for value and resilience
8 Jul 2024
Do energy-efficient buildings have more pricing power, and what could that mean for those investing in the built environment? We bring together the views of leading capital markets researchers, a valuer and an asset manager for the second part of our deep dive into green premia, analysing the investment implications.
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Responsible Investing
Avoid, reduce, remove, align: Finding climate transition investment opportunities in real assets
3 Jul 2024
In this article, Luke Layfield and Zoe Austin explain four key pillars that can help real asset investors align their strategies with the climate transition and uncover opportunities to deliver attractive returns.
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Responsible Investing
The future of green premia in real estate, part one: The view from the ground
27 Jun 2024
Do greener buildings have more pricing power, and if so, how much? We bring together the views of leading capital markets researchers, a valuer and an asset manager for a two-part deep dive on the latest market dynamics.
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Real Assets
Cyclical, structural, vintage: The outlook for real estate equity
10 May 2024
High inflation and rising rates hit activity in real estate markets over the past year. But cautious optimism is now returning to the investment landscape in the UK and Europe, say Imogen Ebbs and George Fraser-Harding.
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Real Assets
Building better: Opportunities for DC schemes to invest in the climate transition through real assets
22 Mar 2024
By investing in climate-aligned real assets, defined-contribution pension schemes can help propel the transition while also benefiting from portfolio diversification and attractive risk-adjusted returns, says Mark Meiklejon.
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Real Assets
Resilience and recovery: The outlook for real estate long income
21 Mar 2024
Renos Booth, Isabel Gossling and Kris McPhail from our real estate long income team consider the outlook for long-lease assets after a challenging period for investors.
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Real Assets
Rents, rates and the refinancing gap: The outlook for real estate debt
19 Mar 2024
After a challenging 12 months for real estate debt investors, Gregor Bamert discusses what lies ahead for the market in 2024.
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Real Assets
Illiquidity premia in private debt: Q4 2023
12 Mar 2024
In our latest real assets deep dive, our research team crunches the data to see how evolving macro conditions are reflected in private debt returns.
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Real Assets
Des res: Opportunities in rental housing for institutional investors
25 Jan 2024
Jonathan Bayfield examines the fundamentals of this asset class, as well as the opportunities and risks for real-estate investors.
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Responsible Investing
Common ground: Earning a social licence to operate in real asset investing
18 Jan 2024
Successful real asset investing requires acceptance of asset managers’ practices and procedures from a variety of stakeholders. We explore what this means for managers, their clients and investment outcomes.