AEW Announces Asia Pacific Expansion with Office in Tokyo

BOSTON, MA – AEW Capital Management, L.P. (AEW) announced the opening of a new office in Tokyo to support its investments efforts as it expands the Asia Pacific platform to Japan. The Tokyo office will be led by Steve Bass, who was recently hired as Director and Country Manager-Japan, and Kiyomasa Matsuda, who was recently hired as an Associate Director. The office will be located in the Shinjuku Nomura Building, a landmark property in Shinjuku’s thriving business district.

David Schaefer, Managing Director and Head of AEW’s Asia Pacific region said, “We are pleased to add Steve Bass and Kiyomasa Matsuda to our team. Their strong experience, in-depth knowledge of the Japanese property markets and network of contacts will complement and strengthen those of our existing team and will be highly valuable to our investors. I had the privilege of working with both Steve and Kiyomasa in the early 2000s and I am excited to have them join me at AEW.”

As a Director and Country Manager, Steve Bass will be responsible for managing AEW’s day-to-day business activities in Japan. His real estate investment career spans nearly 20 years in Japan covering multiple asset classes and strategies, and includes extensive portfolio management, investment, and operational experience. Prior to joining AEW, he was a Partner at Orion Partners, where he led its real estate business in Japan, and he was on the investment committee for Orion’s investments in Korea and China. Prior to joining Orion Partners in 2010, Steve held positions at CBRE Global Investors and Macquarie Group. Steve is a graduate of Vassar College in New York, where he earned a B.A. in economics, and University of California, where he earned a Ph. D. in Urban Planning. He studied economics at Gakushuin University on a scholarship from the Japanese Ministry of Education and is fluent in Japanese.

As Associate Director, Kiyomasa Matsuda will be responsible for implementing the investment strategy in Japan, including sourcing, structuring and underwriting of new investment opportunities. Prior to joining AEW, he was an Executive Director at Orion Partners where he was responsible for Orion’s investments in Japanese Senior Housing. Prior to joining Orion Partners in 2010, he held positions at CBRE Global Investors, where he was in charge of acquisitions, and Macquarie Group. Kiyomasa has 17 years' real estate experience in Japan, including 15 years working alongside Steve Bass. Kiyomasa is a graduate of Keio University, where he earned a B.A. in business, and Rice University, where he earned an MBA. He has qualified for the U.S. CPA designation and is a Licensed Real Estate Broker.

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