Ares Management announced its first investment partnership with Norges Bank Investment Management on October 21, 2026, backed by a €1.5 billion equity commitment from NBIM. The Ares logistics partnership will invest in European warehouse facilities, combining NBIM’s capital with Ares’ property sourcing, development and management capabilities.
Key Takeaways
- NBIM has committed €1.5 billion in equity and will hold a 96% ownership stake.
- Investments will focus on warehouses near major European consumer centres.
- Ares’ Marq Logistics platform will source, develop and manage the assets.
Table of Contents
- Ares logistics partnership targets European warehouses
- Marq Logistics will handle investment and development
- Conclusion
Ares logistics partnership targets European warehouses
The partnership will concentrate predominantly on Western and Southern Europe, including the United Kingdom. Its mandate covers logistics warehouse facilities close to major consumer centres, giving the partners a defined geographic and property focus.
NBIM’s European logistics partnership announcement sets out its €1.5 billion equity commitment and planned 96% ownership stake. The commitment represents capital backing for the investment programme, rather than a disclosed value of properties already acquired.
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Agreement signed | October 20, 2026 |
| NBIM’s existing logistics holdings | About €11.5 billion across Europe and North America |
| NBIM’s institutional role | Fund-management division of Norges Bank |
Marq Logistics will handle investment and development
Ares will use its integrated operating platform, Marq Logistics, to source, develop and manage the partnership’s assets. The mandate therefore includes both existing properties and development opportunities, rather than only purchases of completed warehouses.
Alex Knapp, NBIM’s global head of real estate, said Ares has a strong presence in Europe’s major logistics markets and described access to standing assets and development opportunities as a benefit of the arrangement. For NBIM, the partnership adds another route to invest alongside an operator in a property sector where it already has substantial holdings.
Conclusion
The partnership establishes a capital commitment and operating mandate, with asset sourcing and development as the next steps. The supplied announcement does not specify a deployment timetable or identify initial property purchases.
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