CHICAGO—90 North Real Estate Partners, aLondon-based, international real estate investment firm, has justexpanded into North America by opening a Chicago office andappointing Daniel T. Cooper, a 25-year real estateveteran, to run it. Company officials say they plan to invest $750million, mostly in the US, during the next 18 to 24 months.

“Our clients want and need real estate in the US,”Nicholas Judd, a founder, partner and head ofinvestment, tells GlobeSt.com. The company has a lot of investorsfrom the Middle East and “they are hunting for yield.” 90 North wasstarted in London in 2011 and has made about $750 million ininvestments buying office, industrial, senior living, and studenthousing properties throughout the UK. “Our clients are very keen onthe US and UK economies.”

Both Judd and Cooper say locating the North American office inChicago was a natural choice. Judd, for example, says Chicago'saccess to banking and finance is as good as New York's. AndChicago's central location gives it quicker access to most UScities, an important consideration for a company building anational portfolio. “When we looked at all of the variables,”Cooper says, “Chicago came up number one.”