Case Studies
Gainsboro Partners has advised on a range of mandates across asset management, capital markets, and acquisition advisory. The following case studies illustrate the breadth of work undertaken and the principal-side approach we bring to each engagement.
Asset management mandate: Grade II listed commercial property, North of England
Instructed by a lender and administrator on the disposal of a 100,000 sq ft Grade II listed multi-tenanted commercial building, 80% occupied.
The challenge
Two significant issues were preventing the lender from achieving best value on disposal. First, the roof required substantial repair or replacement, but the necessary planning approvals had not been obtained by the previous owner — a material complication given the building’s listed status and the need for conservation authority consent. Second, a legacy of fraudulent electrical billing by the previous owner had left tenants with faulty metering, creating legal exposure and strained tenant relationships that any buyer would need to resolve.
Our approach
We took a fully hands-on role across both issues — working directly with electrical contractors to diagnose and rectify the metering problems, navigating the planning and conservation constraints around the roof repairs, and managing tenant relationships throughout. Alongside this operational work, we led the negotiation of a complex disposal with significant legal nuances arising from years of deferred maintenance and unresolved tenant grievances.
The outcome
By understanding and addressing the underlying issues before sale, we were able to identify the most appropriate buyer for the asset and achieve a materially better outcome than an open-market disposal would have produced.
Acquisition advisory: nine-asset pan-European office portfolio
A private investor engaged Gainsboro Partners to support the evaluation and bidding process on a portfolio of nine office assets across seven European cities. We conducted independent underwriting on each asset, developed asset-by-asset management plans, identified and engaged local advisers across seven jurisdictions, and led the preparation of an indicative offer and letter of intent.
Capital markets advisory: recapitalisation of a closed-ended European real estate fund
Gainsboro Partners acted as co-adviser on the recapitalisation of a closed-ended European real estate fund with a net asset value in excess of €600 million. Working alongside a capital markets partner, we identified and introduced a credible institutional investor as a potential incoming capital partner, supporting six months of detailed due diligence and a structured bid of €575 million.