Global real estate investment manager BGO is undergoing another rebrand. The firm, which was formed in 2019 through the merger of GreenOak Real Estate and Bentall Kennedy and initially operated as BentallGreenOak, only shortened its name to the acronym BGO in 2024. Now, as part of a comprehensive restructuring, the long-established business is returning to its roots and will once again trade as GreenOak.
The move is driven by a strategic decision by Canadian parent company Sun Life Financial. The financial services group is fully consolidating its institutional asset management platform SLC Management, which oversees $326 billion in assets under management, under the GreenOak brand umbrella. The process is scheduled to be completed within the coming year.
Consolidation of multiple investment businesses under one roof
The consolidation brings several sister companies together organisationally and from a branding perspective. Alongside the former real estate arm BGO, this affects Crescent Capital, InfraRed Capital Partners, SLC Fixed Income and Advisors Asset Management. Toronto-based Sun Life Financial, which has more than $1.6 trillion in total assets under management, acquired GreenOak Real Estate in 2018.
Sonny Kalsi, President and Chief Executive Officer of GreenOak, stated that operating under a single unified name reflects the company's evolution and its operation as an integrated platform. While the name is changing, the commitment to delivering superior investment results and high levels of client service remains unchanged.
Continued acquisition activity in the US market
The rebranding follows a period of lively transaction activity for the manager. Just last month, the firm acquired a 100 percent let portfolio of eleven ambulatory surgery centres in the United States from Flagship Healthcare Properties and AEW Capital Management. The portfolio comprises around 223,000 square feet of lettable area across nine regional locations; the purchase price was not disclosed.
In addition, BGO agreed in March to acquire Bell Partners for $350 million. The target company is a vertically integrated residential real estate and development business with a managed portfolio valued at $10 billion. The completion of that acquisition was scheduled for the third quarter.
