The United States continues to lead other countries as an attractive place for foreign capital. A recent survey by the Association of Foreign Investors in Real Estate (AFIRE) showed that 65% of respondents sought to increase their US investments, with no respondents planning a major decrease. Office, hotel and industrial are the asset classes preferred by foreign investors, a JLL report says, and in the fourth quarter of 2015 industrial outpaced office as the top destination for foreign capital.

“We are currently targeting acquisitions and build-to-suit developments in markets that include Orlando, Tampa, Atlanta, Nashville and Charlotte,” Gardner Lee, president of GCP, tells GlobeSt.com. “We're pursuing deals that align with our investment parameters and long-term financial goals, and the expertise that industry veterans like Francisco and Jaime bring to our company is invaluable.”

Beyond Devon, Lee says GCP is bringing interested Latin Americans to invest in the company. Garcia's typical clients are high net worth families and institutional investors from Latin America and Europe. Colchero joins three other directors on the GCP board, including Garcia of Blue Ceiba as well as founding board members Mike and Steve Graham.

“The US real estate market has proven to be the safest market for many years,” says Jaime Garcia, principal partner and founder of Blue Ceiba. “The legal system, transparency, currency and growth have placed U.S. markets as the most attractive markets worldwide. And we're exploring additional opportunities to invest in the Southeastern United States. We believe this region will experience positive demographic and economic growth in the next 10 to 15 years, and the real estate sector will benefit from such growth.”

GCP currently controls approximately 5.5 million square feet of industrial space in Alabama, Florida, Georgia and North Carolina. Founded in 2013 by seasoned real estate leaders, GCP has expanded quickly with strategic asset purchases in Charlotte and Atlanta markets, and now is focused on acquisitions in Orlando, Tampa, Atlanta, Nashville and Charlotte.

Iron Tree Capital, an Atlanta-based real estate investment manager, invested in GCP alongside Blue Ceiba and Devon. Bill Fryer, a partner and co-founder of Iron Tree and investment manager for Blue Ceiba and Devon, observed, “This trend towards more investment from Latin America is reminiscent of the mid-1970s when Atlanta first experienced a wave of capital from German and Dutch investors, initially in undeveloped land, farms and timber. Today, it's a similar phenomenon, only from Latin Americans, who are likewise migrating from purely residential investments in major coastal cities to commercial real estate. I would expect to see more Latin American investment across the principal real estate asset classes in the Southeast.”

ATLANTA—The Southeast is seeing strong foreign investment on the industrial real estate front—and one company is setting itself up for greater success in 2017. GCP appointed Francisco Colchero to its four-member board.

Colchero is founder and chief CEO of Devon Investments, an asset management company based in Santiago, Chile. His board assignment reflects GCP's growth as a destination for direct foreign investment in US industrial real estate and his company's investment in GCP.

“Our company has a global footprint, with Europe, North America and Latin America being our three main regions of activity,” Colchero tells GlobeSt.com. “My goal in joining GCP's board is to match my global perspective with their strong operational track record to help take the company to the next level.”

Devon's investment is part of Blue Ceiba Advisor's commitment to providing between $75 million to $100 million in growth capital for GCP. Blue Ceiba, an investment management company with offices in Mexico City and New York, focuses on providing access to “off market” direct real estate opportunities in high growth US markets.

The United States continues to lead other countries as an attractive place for foreign capital. A recent survey by the Association of Foreign Investors in Real Estate (AFIRE) showed that 65% of respondents sought to increase their US investments, with no respondents planning a major decrease. Office, hotel and industrial are the asset classes preferred by foreign investors, a JLL report says, and in the fourth quarter of 2015 industrial outpaced office as the top destination for foreign capital.

“We are currently targeting acquisitions and build-to-suit developments in markets that include Orlando, Tampa, Atlanta, Nashville and Charlotte,” Gardner Lee, president of GCP, tells GlobeSt.com. “We're pursuing deals that align with our investment parameters and long-term financial goals, and the expertise that industry veterans like Francisco and Jaime bring to our company is invaluable.”

Beyond Devon, Lee says GCP is bringing interested Latin Americans to invest in the company. Garcia's typical clients are high net worth families and institutional investors from Latin America and Europe. Colchero joins three other directors on the GCP board, including Garcia of Blue Ceiba as well as founding board members Mike and Steve Graham.

“The US real estate market has proven to be the safest market for many years,” says Jaime Garcia, principal partner and founder of Blue Ceiba. “The legal system, transparency, currency and growth have placed U.S. markets as the most attractive markets worldwide. And we're exploring additional opportunities to invest in the Southeastern United States. We believe this region will experience positive demographic and economic growth in the next 10 to 15 years, and the real estate sector will benefit from such growth.”

GCP currently controls approximately 5.5 million square feet of industrial space in Alabama, Florida, Georgia and North Carolina. Founded in 2013 by seasoned real estate leaders, GCP has expanded quickly with strategic asset purchases in Charlotte and Atlanta markets, and now is focused on acquisitions in Orlando, Tampa, Atlanta, Nashville and Charlotte.

Iron Tree Capital, an Atlanta-based real estate investment manager, invested in GCP alongside Blue Ceiba and Devon. Bill Fryer, a partner and co-founder of Iron Tree and investment manager for Blue Ceiba and Devon, observed, “This trend towards more investment from Latin America is reminiscent of the mid-1970s when Atlanta first experienced a wave of capital from German and Dutch investors, initially in undeveloped land, farms and timber. Today, it's a similar phenomenon, only from Latin Americans, who are likewise migrating from purely residential investments in major coastal cities to commercial real estate. I would expect to see more Latin American investment across the principal real estate asset classes in the Southeast.”