The California Public Employees' Retirement System Purchases One-Third Interest in Bentall Kennedy

SEATTLE, WA, USA, June 26, 2012 /CNW/ - The California Public Employees' Retirement System (CalPERS) has become a one-third owner in Bentall Kennedy, one of North America's largest real estate investment advisors, it was announced today.

"Bentall Kennedy has a track record of fiduciary excellence and is a global leader in environmental, social and governance practices," said Rob Feckner, President of the CalPERS Board of Administration. "This relationship will allow our real estate team to further expand on trends and opportunities in real estate investment and management."

CalPERS, the largest public pension plan in the United States, has acquired the ownership interest that has been held for the past two decades by Ivanhoé Cambridge, the real estate subsidiary of the Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec.

The remaining two-thirds limited partnership ownership is evenly split between the British Columbia Investment Management Corporation (bcIMC) and Bentall Kennedy's senior management team.

"CalPERS is a complementary and welcome addition to the Bentall Kennedy Group," said Doug Pearce, Chief Executive Officer and Chief Investment Officer, bcIMC.   "bcIMC and CalPERS are like-minded institutions with similar investment goals and core values.  We admire the leadership of the CalPERS team in the U.S and look forward to the opportunity to work more closely together as they become a co-investor in Bentall Kennedy."

For Ivanhoé Cambridge, the sale is part of a strategic process to, over the long-term, bring more of its real estate activities in house.

"We have been very pleased with the success in our equity investment in Bentall Kennedy," said Daniel Fournier, Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer of Ivanhoé Cambridge. "It was the product of an effective and mutually beneficial relationship."

CalPERS said Ivanhoé Cambridge's record of successful long-term investment with Bentall Kennedy also was a factor in its decision.

"Ivanhoé Cambridge has been a significant owner in our firm for almost 20 years," said Gary Whitelaw, Group Chief Executive Officer of Bentall Kennedy. "We have been very privileged to learn from their talented people represented on our Board and within their real estate operations. The seamless transfer of their ownership to a new strategic partner is beneficial for all involved."

"We welcome the experience, strength, and global perspective that CalPERS now brings through its significant ownership in our firm. Our deeper relationship will be valuable to both organizations as we pursue our shared goal of successful and sustainable long-term investment performance," Whitelaw said.

"This important endorsement confirms our position amongst the industry leaders across North America. Through this close association with world class plan sponsors such as bcIMC and CalPERS, our organizations will continue to learn from each other to the benefit of all clients, tenants and employees in both Canada and the United States," said Whitelaw

CalPERS has been a Bentall Kennedy client for over 15 years, and will continue to utilize its research and investment services.

About CalPERS
CalPERS is the largest public pension fund in the U.S. It administers retirement benefits for more than 1.6 million California state, local government, and public school employees, retirees, and their families on behalf of more than 3,000 public employers, and health benefits for more than 1.3 million enrollees. The average CalPERS pension benefit is $2,332 per month. The average benefit for those who retired in the most recent fiscal year that ended June 30, 2011, is $3,065 per month. For more information, please visit www.calpers.ca.gov.

About bcIMC
bcIMC is an independent investment management corporation that manages a globally diversified investment portfolio of $91.1 billion as at December 31, 2011. Based in Victoria, British Columbia and supported by industry-leading expertise, bcIMC invests in all major asset classes including infrastructure and other strategic investments. bcIMC's clients include public sector pension plans, public trusts, and insurance funds. With real estate holdings valued at $14.4 billion as at December 31, 2011, bcIMC is one of Canada's major property owners and developers. bcIMC's Canadian real estate portfolio includes offices, retail malls, residential and industrial buildings, hotels, and interests in real estate management companies. For more information, please visit www.bcimc.com.

About Ivanhoé Cambridge
Ivanhoé Cambridge is one of the ten largest real estate companies in the world, with more than $30 billion of assets in over 20 countries as at December 31, 2011. Ivanhoé Cambridge is a real estate subsidiary of the Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec (lacaisse.com), one of Canada's leading institutional fund managers. For more information, visit ivanhoecambridge.com.

About Bentall Kennedy
Bentall Kennedy is one of North America's largest real estate investment advisors and one of its foremost providers of real estate services. Bentall Kennedy serves the interests of more than 500 clients across 140 million square feet of office, retail, industrial, hotel, and apartment properties totaling $28.7 (as at March 2012) billion throughout Canada and the U.S.

Bentall Kennedy has a 100 year track record of delivering superior returns and a reputation for integrity, innovation and creating value. Bentall Kennedy is a member of UN PRI and is a recognized global leader in Responsible Property Investing. For more information, visit www.bentallkennedy.com.

Bentall Kennedy includes Bentall Kennedy (Canada) Limited Partnership and Bentall Kennedy (U.S.) Limited Partnership.

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