INREV recently caught up with Alexander Brake about his new role as Professional Standards Associate and the work he’s doing on Global Definitions and Guidelines Assessments.

Alexander, who is the newest member of the Professional Standards team having joined in March, works closely with the various INREV committees, manages the Global Definitions Database and is also the point of contact regarding the online Assessment Tools.

‘The Online Self Assessment tool is a great way for members to measure, share and review their compliance with INREV’s guidelines which have become the industry standard in Europe and increasingly so in Asia. I really enjoy working with the different committees to make sure that the INREV Guidelines remain relevant for the non-listed market and to add in new best practices and standards where needed. Together with our industry partners ANREV in Asia and NCREIF and PREA in North America, we’re working to align industry guidelines across the globe, with the Global Definitions Database as one central reference point, says Alexander.

I really enjoy working with the different committees to make sure that the INREV Guidelines remain relevant for the nonlisted market

Alexander also manages the new ESG Committee, which is the result of a merger between the Sustainability Committee and the Corporate Governance committee as reported in the previous IQ. The Corporate Governance Committee, one of INREV’s oldest committees has played an important role in the development of the INREV Guidelines. By combining the two committees, INREV aims to reflect the fact that sustainability aspects have become an integrated part of the non-listed real estate industry.

With impact investing climbing up the investor agenda, Alexander will support the ESG committee in its objectives to give meaning to the ‘S’, or Social part of ESG, and in promoting the ESG agenda though various INREV initiatives, such as the new ESG section of the recently revamped DDQ.

On his other responsibilities, Alexander enthusiastically explains, ‘I am particularly looking forward to working with a dedicated debt focus group, with whom we aim to achieve more robust and consistent definitions and best practices for debt funds. Together with the Secondary Markets and Liquidity committee, we’re also focusing on ways to help the industry to increase liquidity for non-listed real estate.’