Jean Barden of Essen Hyp

As GlobeSt.com reported recently, German-based mortgage bank Hypothekenbank in Essen, AG—Essen Hyp for short—has planted itself on US shores with the creation of its first office in Manhattan. From that base of operations, the bank hopes to expand its current US activity and is in fact eyeing as much as $400 million per year in private mortgage activity and as much as a $1 billion in public work. Overseeing that initiative is Jean Barden, who is a veteran of Chemical Bank’s syndications group—which she ran until 1995—and PB Capital. At the recent press meeting unveiling the strategy, Essen Hype’s German executives outlined a specific plan for the expansion, enumerating office, retail and multifamily as their key product areas. Barden, in an exclusive interview with GlobeSt.com after the conference, wagered that she was willing to explore more areas of opportunity as long as the potential was there. How she plans to do that was part of the discussion.

GlobeSt.com: You’re focused on much the same property types as you did at Chemical. You must be comfortable knowing the marching orders are the same.

Barden: Chemical Bank had a lot of office and retail and not as much multifamily or warehouse. But the marching orders are to find good business. As the market evolves, the thinking will evolve.