Pacific Star To Buy MEAG Stake In PRMH

Source : The Business Times, May 30, 2008

SINGAPORE-BASED Pacific Star has agreed to buy the 25 per cent stake held by MEAG Munich Ergo AssetManagement GmbH (MEAG) in Prime Reit Management Holdings Pte Ltd (PRMH).

PRMH owns 100 per cent of Macquarie Pacific Star Prime Reit Management Pte Ltd, the manager of Singapore Exchange-listed Macquarie MEAG Prime Reit (MMP Reit). It is also the sole owner of Macquarie Pacific Star Property Management Pte Ltd, the property manager of MMP Reit.

Pacific Star's existing stake in PRMH is held through its associated company Investmore Enterprises Ltd. The purchase will increase Pacific Star's interest in PRMH to 50 per cent, the same level as the interest of the Macquarie group.

Said Alfred Lim, chief corporate officer of Pacific Star: 'Reit management is a core business of Pacific Star. The purchase reaffirms Pacific Star's firm commitment to the growth of the Singapore Reit industry.'

Pacific Star manages a suite of funds, namely the 1.2 billion euros (S$2.45 billion) Asia Real Estate Income Fund (Areif), the US$600 million Baitak Asian Real Estate Fund (a joint venture between Pacific Star and Kuwait Finance House), the US$750 million Asian Real Estate Prime Development Fund which invests in prime development projects in key Asian cities and the US$500 million PS Arrow Vietnam Fund (a joint venture with Alony Hetz of Israel).

Pacific Star recently announced plans to launch the US$2 billion Pacific Star Fund Select Concept targeting Asian real estate under an umbrella fund structure. Earlier this year, Pacific Star acquired Singapore Power Building for Areif.