New office in Western Switzerland - KM&P expands activities in Geneva

01 March 2023

With its new office in Geneva, KM&P now also offers real estate services for private and commercial investment properties as well as for private residential properties in Western Switzerland. Damien Carénini and Peggy Robillard are the responsible local partners. In this interview, they explain what makes the Geneva real estate market so special and why it is strategically important.

Why is KM&P expanding into western Switzerland with a new office in Geneva?

Damien Carénini: Geneva is one of the most important real estate markets in Switzerland and Julius Baer's second largest location in Switzerland. The region is therefore ideally suited to the expansion and broadening of our services, particularly in real estate brokerage. I look forward to developing these new activities locally with Peggy Robillard.

How can the Geneva real estate market be described - what are the current developments and trends?

Damien Carénini: With the rise in interest rates, we are seeing a gradual readjustment of capitalization rates in commercial real estate. That said, the fundamentals of the investment real estate market remain solid in French-speaking Switzerland, both in terms of economic activity (record low unemployment rate) and a still restricted supply.

Peggy Robillard: In recent years, residential property prices in Geneva have risen sharply. The current economic situation has dampened this development, but the price increase remains current. Continued strong demand and a limited supply of real estate are contributing to this growth. The market for high-end real estate is enjoying great momentum. Exceptional properties continue to be very popular. This segment is developing in step with other luxury goods such as art.

What is KM&P's business strategy at its new office in Geneva?

Damien Carénini: The objective of the Geneva office is to strengthen the Julius Baer Group's real estate services offering in French-speaking Switzerland. The new real estate services are part of this strategy, which aims to bring real added value to our clients. I am responsible for the investment and commercial real estate activities. Our expertise allows us to deal with all sector specificities (offices, hotels, student and senior residences...) and all strategies (core, core plus, value added and development). In close collaboration with Julius Baer's teams, we provide clients with tailor-made solutions for the investment and arbitrage of assets. We also offer clients investment opportunities in club deals and co-investments.

Peggy Robillard: I focus on residential real estate brokerage - with the aim of meeting the expectations of our private and institutional buyers and sellers as perfectly as possible. Our competences and our tailor-made assistance allow us to develop a personalized business strategy tailored to each type of property (residential, upscale or developer). In this area, there are important synergies with Julius Baer's teams and clientele.

What does KM&P stand for?

Peggy Robillard: At KM&P, personal and comprehensive customer care takes a central place. Unlike traditional real estate companies, KM&P works with a unique partnership model that shortens decision-making paths, increases commitment to our clients and strengthens the relationship of trust. Our goal is to develop customized real estate solutions and build lasting business relationships that provide long-term value. Incidentally, this description could just as easily be used for our parent company Julius Baer, which is why the values of the two companies complement each other perfectly.