PERE, a widely-known and highly-regarded global media group, has shortlisted companies from USA, UK, Korea & more. The criteria for the selection evaluated various factors such as the amount of capital raised, performance since inception, and the credibility created amongst the investors.

Parry Singh, Director, Red Fort Capital said, “It is a great honor for an Indian fund to make it to the list amongst revered firms across continents and we at Red Fort Capital are extremely proud to be on this distinguished list.” “It has been a highly successful year of development for Red Fort Capital. The rating further reiterates our deep experience in the private equity market and commends our strong financial resources. We take pride in being among the first movers in the Indian PERE space and are excited about the imminent growth of the real estate sector in India over the next couple of decades,” he added.

Red Fort Capital is planning to invest Rs. 3,500 crore in the country during the next one year and is in the process of raising its second international fund which it expects to close in the second half of 2008. The firm is currently investing from its first international fund, an INR 1500 crore vehicle, which it raised in 2006 from institutional investors across the globe.

Other funds that have been shortlisted are Benson Elliot Capital Management, Doran Capital Management, Dune Real Estate Partners, Harrison Street Real Estate Capital, Moor Park Capital, Northwood Investors, Perella Weinberg, Prosperitas and Samsara Capital.

About Red Fort Capital

Red Fort Capital is an international private equity firm with a focus on value-added real estate investments in India. Their investors include pedigreed international governments, pension plans, insurance companies, foundations, and endowments. In 2007, they have already committed over to a number of land and real estate projects worth over Rs 7,500 crores in residential, township, and office parks in India, partnering with leading developers in India like the Bangalore-based Prestige Group and Indu Projects in Hyderabad. Red Fort invests alongside leading developers in real estate projects, and acquires land for development in the residential, office, retail, hospitality and infrastructure sectors. Their investments take the form of joint ventures, joint developments, equity, and mezzanine capital.

The company recently announced a Rs 400 crore investment plan for Chennai, across low to high end residential and hospitality projects. Red Fort Capital has kicked off its activities in Chennai by acquiring residential land a short distance from Anna Nagar, a prime residential suburb, and in close proximity to Ambattur, an emerging IT hub. Developers have now been invited to bid for this land.

Red Fort Capital has also launched its first domestic fund for Rs. 1000 crore targeting land level deals. The by-invitation only fund will focus on land and realty projects worth over Rs. 5000 crores and the investments will be in under-valued land for residential, commercial, IT, retail and hospitality projects.

About PERE

PERE, a magazine synonymous with detailed coverage of the main alternative asset classes of private equity, real estate and infrastructure, was launched in 2005 to cover this dynamic area of real estate investing. Designed to look beyond the deals to the strategies, markets and institutions shaping this global asset class, PERE combines news, features, special surveys and supplements to deliver the only substantive publication on this burgeoning market. PERE 30, a ranking of the largest private equity real estate firms in the world, is the only ranking of private equity real estate firms by size using an apples-to-apples methodology and commands high credibility within the industry.

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Ishneet Sachdeva
20:20 MEDIA