DENMARK – Michael Nielsen has been named as the new Managing Director of ATP Ejendomme, the real estate arm of Denmark’s largest pension scheme, the 38 billion-euro ATP Danish labour market pension plan.

Nielsen’s promotion from the position of head of investment at ATP Ejendomme was made official from April 1, although he will retain the overall function of his former position.

Nielsen, who has a Bachelor of Commerce degree in management accounting, joined ATP Ejendomme in 2001.

Before joining ATP he was deputy chief executive of Bryggerigruppen A/S and before that a director at Chr. Islef & Co and the Danbyg Holding Group.

ATP Ejendomme is currently in the process of shifting part of its real estate exposure into private real estate funds in Europe – a move that Nielsen has been instrumental in overseeing.

The fund formerly focused solely on direct investment in Danish property.

Nielsen says he will still control the current outsourcing programme, but will have less involvement in the more technical side of operations.

ATP has a total of four per cent of its total assets invested in real estate.