Alternative asset manager names Rob Lawrence as Global Head of Real Estate and commences operations on first REIT product
PHILADELPHIA, September 20, 2017 – FS Investments, a leading alternative asset manager with more than $20 billion in assets under management, today announced the hiring of Rob Lawrence to lead the firm’s real estate efforts and that the firm’s first real estate investment trust, FS Credit Real Estate Income Trust, Inc. (FS Credit REIT), has commenced operations.
Rob Lawrence to Lead Real Estate Activities
Rob Lawrence, Managing Director and Global Head of Real Estate, will oversee the firm’s real estate initiatives and help manage FS Credit REIT in partnership with its sub-adviser, Rialto Capital Management, LLC (Rialto). Mr. Lawrence is based in New York and reports to Mike Kelly, President and Chief Investment Officer of FS Investments, as part of the firm’s Investment Management team.
“With more than 25 years of investment experience in global commercial real estate, Rob Lawrence is an ideal fit to lead our efforts as we build out our real estate capabilities,” said Mr. Kelly.
Mr. Lawrence most recently served as Executive Managing Director at Singer & Bassuk, a boutique real estate finance firm. Prior to joining Singer & Bassuk, he was Senior Managing Director and Co-Head of Origination at Guggenheim Commercial Real Estate Finance, where he led and managed the origination platform for commercial mortgage-backed securities (CMBS) and affiliated life companies. Previously, Mr. Lawrence held several high-level positions at JPMorgan Chase and Bear Stearns. At JPMorgan Chase, he served as Managing Director and Head of the Securitized Products Group in Asia. Prior to the merger with JPMorgan Chase in 2008, he was Senior Managing Director and Co-Head of Origination at Bear Stearns, and a founding member of the firm’s Global CMBS department.
Mr. Lawrence is a member of the Urban Land Institute, the Young Presidents’ Organization and the Nassau County Disaster Action Team for the American Red Cross. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from the University of Vermont and a Master of Science in Real Estate Investment and Development from the Schack Institute of Real Estate at New York University.
“We are excited to partner with Rialto, a leading institutional real estate manager with a strong track record and, importantly, a culture like ours that is focused on performance and investor protections,” said Mr. Lawrence.
FS Credit REIT
FS Credit REIT is a publicly registered, non-listed real estate investment trust that originates, acquires and manages a portfolio of senior loans secured by commercial real estate primarily in the United States. The daily NAV REIT focuses primarily on floating-rate mortgage loans that are secured by first priority mortgages on transitional commercial real estate properties and has already closed on initial investments totaling over $43 million.
FS Credit REIT is advised by FS Real Estate Advisor, LLC and sub-advised by Rialto, a leading real estate investment and asset management company. Rialto’s commercial real estate platform, which has, together with its investment management, asset management, loan servicing, special servicing and loan origination affiliates, approximately 350 associates in 18 offices across the U.S. and Europe, has originated over $7.8 billion of commercial mortgage loans since its inception and is one of the largest non-bank underwriters of commercial mortgage loans used in CMBS securitizations.1
ABOUT FS INVESTMENTS
FS Investments is a leading asset manager dedicated to helping individuals, financial professionals and institutions design better portfolios. The firm provides access to alternative sources of income and growth and focuses on setting industry standards for investor protection, education and transparency.
FS Investments is headquartered in Philadelphia, PA with offices in Orlando, FL and Washington, DC. The firm had more than $20 billion in assets under management as of June 30, 2017. Visit fsinvestments.com to learn more.
FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS
This release may contain certain forward‐looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. Such forward‐looking statements can generally be identified by our use of forward‐looking terminology such as “may,” “will,” “expect,” “intend,” “anticipate,” “estimate,” “believe,” “continue,” or other similar words. Because such statements include risks, uncertainties and contingencies, actual results may differ materially from the expectations, intentions, beliefs, plans or predictions of the future expressed or implied by such forward‐looking statements. These risks, uncertainties and contingencies include, but are not limited to: uncertainties relating to changes in general economic and real estate conditions; uncertainties relating to the implementation of FS Credit REIT’s real estate investment strategy; uncertainties relating to financing availability; uncertainties relating to the closing of investments; uncertainties related to the timing and availability of distributions; and other risks.
This release is neither an offer to sell nor a solicitation of an offer to purchase securities.
Contact Information:
Media
Marc Yaklofsky / Kate Beers
media@fsinvestments.com
215-495-1174
1 As of June 30, 2017.