The appointment strengthens the fund’s international fundraising and portfolio expansion capabilities, supported by Mr. Laakso’s 20+ years of versatile international experience from leading hotel operations, hotel development, as well as hotel consulting and asset management across Europe, the Middle East, Africa and the USA.

Mr. Laakso worked at Marriott International, a global portfolio of leading hotel brands, since 2010, most recently as Vice President, International Hotel Development. He was responsible for hotel development efforts for all 30 brands in Germany, Austria, Switzerland and the Nordic countries. Prior to that, he held a senior position within the hotel consulting and valuation practice of HVS in London. Mr. Laakso divides his time between CapMan’s Helsinki office and Zurich.

CapMan Hotels II fund is one of the largest owners of hotel properties in the Nordics. The industry is in transition and offers attractive opportunities for long-term owners.

“Thomas’ profile is an outstanding match with the fund’s strategy and will enhance our opportunities to reach a broader group of international investors and grow the portfolio of hotel assets throughout the Nordic region. We warmly welcome Thomas to CapMan,” says Mika Matikainen, Managing Partner of CapMan Real Estate.

CapMan Hotels II fund is a semi-open-ended fund with an evergreen structure and a continuous term. It invests in hotel properties generating a stable and predictable income, mainly across the Nordics. The current portfolio consists of 27 assets across Finland and Sweden with multiple leading operators as tenants and a weighted average lease term (WALT) of 23.5 years. The fund has €368 million in equity commitments and the open-ended structure of the fund allows for growth through new capital and portfolio expansion. The attractive structure combined with the existing strong portfolio create an excellent foundation for future growth.

“I am excited to join the CapMan Real Estate team and help take the fund to the next level. An income-focused strategy generates strong investor interest, the portfolio is in excellent shape and the fund is well-positioned to benefit from the resurgence of both domestic and international travel. I see many interesting opportunities in the Northern European market and look forward to growing the fund together with our team,” shares Thomas Laakso, Investment Director, CapMan Real Estate.