Steven Tattersall, Valad Property Group’s European fund manager, has been appointed chairman of the Caisson Group.

Tattersall will take up the position in September 2010 with a focus on expanding Caisson’s equity raising capacity.

He says: “The opportunity to become involved in the strategic side of real estate investment management at this point of the property cycle is a very exciting challenge. Caisson has huge potential, both in terms of its founding partners and the sectors it is targeting. I see the next five years as being a perfect time to be developing a research backed investment management group.”

David Carter, managing partner at Caisson, says: “Steven’s appointment represents a key step in our long-term strategy of building a highly respected independent investment management group. Steven has 35 years’ experience of the market and extensive contacts within the property industry. This combination will prove invaluable in helping develop Caisson’s funds under management. We have known and worked with Steven for over 12 years and we are delighted he accepted our approach to take up this position.”

Tattersall, after 20 years in agency, investment and development, including five years at Heron Sellar and a partnership at the then Conrad Ritblat, joined The iO Group in 1995 working alongside John Sims, to create a multi-let industrial asset management company. The iO Group was then subsequently floated on the main market as Property Fund Management, acquired by Teesland in 2005, and then by Valad Property Group in 2007.

Tattersall was involved with the launch of all The iO Group’s UK and European multi-let industrial funds, representing over GBP2bn of property assets.

Caisson Investment Management is working with Rockspring in sourcing, acquiring and then managing multi-let industrial estates within the UK and has acquired two estates in the past quarter for that fund. It is also in the process of launching a GBP50m to GBP100m investment fund focused on the UK’s self-storage property market.