Credit Suisse has appointed Derek Rich to spearhead its European real estate origination efforts.
Rich is joining as a director in the bank’s real estate finance team, which is part of its asset finance group in the securitised products business.
He left CMBS special servicer LNR Partners last month after three years.
The appointment marks a return to the market for the Swiss institution, which was once one of the most aggressive lenders in Europe.
Following the onset of the financial crisis it disbanded its UK-based lending team and largely withdrew from the European market.
In recent years it has participated only in a number of smaller loan-on-loan financings through its European securitised products team, including deals with Apollo Global Management. However, in recent months it has been putting out term sheets for asset acquisition finance across Europe.
Rich spent more than six years until October 2007 at Deutsche Bank, working on B-note sales and syndications.
He was then head of distribution for Europe and Asia at UBS for around a year.
bridget.o’connell@estatesgazette.com
