Ralph Kattan

Founder of Real Asset Capital, Ralph Kattan holds a degree in finance from the prestigious Georgetown School and another in real estate from no less famous Harvard University. Having started his career in New York at Bear Stearns in 2000, he moved to Switzerland in 2002 to get into real estate. Over his 18-year career, Ralph Kattan has managed over $ 1 billion in funds across different segments of the real estate industry.

Ralph Kattan: Real Estate Projects

In 2014, Ralph Kattan launched and developed a regulated real estate fund in Switzerland of over AUM 500 million, which he then sold in 2019 to one of the largest private Swiss banks. Ralph Kattan is also behind many large-scale projects, such as:

  •  The development of the WestPark project in Geneva, which was partially leased by the city of Apart for long-term stays and Lidl as the main tenant;

  • It also bought Arc Center for the sum of 90 million euros from Migros for a “sale lease back” and a repositioning of certain commercial spaces;

  • Ralph Kattan bought and renovated a 300 million euro residential portfolio in French-speaking Switzerland, increasing its yield and value by over 20% in just 2 years;

  • He built and rented a large shopping complex in the center of Satigny in the canton of Geneva. He then signed with Switzerland’s largest retailer, Coop, as the main tenant for the sum of 25 million euros;

  • Among other projects, Ralph Kattan built a residential building in cooperation with the municipality of Satigny, specially designed to be a new center in the suburbs of Geneva.

Real Asset Capital 

Founded by Ralph Kattan, Real Asset Capital is a company active in all segments of real estate management and development, namely investment advisory and asset management services, as well as integrated development including renovation and construction. The clients of the firm are mainly real estate investors, institutions, owners of commercial properties …

ARCenter: Jewel in the Crown

The ARCenter shopping center, opened in 2012, hosts several points of sale, in particular a Migros supermarket, a Florissimo store, a currency exchange office, in addition to 10 shops which represent a complete and complementary range of local products and services. ARCenter is ideally located at the corner of the Peney and Montfleury roads, a stone’s throw from the village of Vernier, a booming economic and urban area. It is also perfectly served by public transport and accessible by motorway. Taking its name from its harmonious arch-shaped design, the shopping center is all in floor-to-ceiling windows accentuating its natural light.

With its patio, interior glass roof and walkways, ARCenter fully plays the card of elegant and futuristic design, without forgetting to be particularly functional for users. From an architectural point of view, the shopping center meets the requirements of the Minergie label, and offers a particularly attractive modern image. Presenting a V-shaped geometry with a fully glazed rounded angle, the building is built on the basis of an innovative concept of “post-sleepers”. ARCenter was built in compliance with new energy standards, prioritizing savings and energy recovery. This allows the center to produce domestic hot water and heating independently.

A student residence in Italy in October 2022

A real estate asset management professional, Ralph Kattan believes in the potential of student residences, an excellent investment which also has the advantage of resisting the crisis well. Each year, thousands of students seek accommodation in the private park. Being specially designed for and around students, student residences offer a response perfectly suited to the needs of the latter, which gives them an undeniable competitive advantage. In addition, investing in this type of residence allows you to diversify your assets and benefit from tax reductions in certain countries (for example Censi-Bouvard when the investment is made in France by taxable persons in France).

It is in this sense that he embarked on a student residence project in Italy, thanks to the transformation of a building, former headquarters of Lavazza (café), located between the territories of Aurora and Barriera di Milano. Given the tight deadlines, the Swiss investor group led by Ralph Kattan will have to work harder by starting the transformation project at the former Lavazza headquarters this summer. At the end of the works in October 2022, this building will have a capacity of 300 beds, with single rooms, double rooms and small studios with a kitchenette. The student residence will also have a library, a gym, a laundromat, a restaurant, classrooms and two magnificent panoramic terraces.

A running enthusiast … and wine enthusiast

In his spare time, Ralph Kattan enjoys running, a sport that fits perfectly with his profile as a dynamic man. A great way to decompress, he finds that running, which he practices occasionally, helps him to be more focused on his professional goals. A born competitor and a lover of challenges, Ralph Kattan took part in the famous New York Marathon ten years ago. Far from him the idea of ​​winning this hard-fought competition by world-class runners, he still managed to achieve his goal and create the feat by finishing the long race of just over 42 km! Part of the World Marathon Majors, the New York Marathon has been held annually on the streets of the “Big Apple” since 1970. You may not know it, but the race is always held on the first Sunday in November. , registering the participation of around 50,000 runners from all over the world. Each year, the New York City Marathon is estimated to reach nearly 2 million spectators, making it the largest sporting event in New York City.

Besides running, Ralph Kattan has a small passion for the vineyard. He also produces a wine in Switzerland, the g2 Gamaret de Genève Réserve 2015, the first high-end red wine produced in Switzerland in Vegan & Kosher. Indeed, the g2 has the Vegan and Kashrut Rav Rottenberg label, in addition to the Swisswine and AOC Geneva label.