Caisson Investment Management and iO Asset Management are merging to create a platform with c. £1bn of assets under management in the UK and Europe.

The two firms have a raft of high-profile mandates and together will provide clients with a greater depth, capacity and expertise across fund management, asset management, finance and accounting, investor relations and sustainability.

Both businesses have envious track records of managing assets in the light industrial and logistics sector on behalf of local authority pension funds, institutional investors, family offices and corporates. 

Caisson and iO currently manage a wide portfolio of logistics and multi-let industrial assets across the UK and Poland. Following the merger, the Caisson iO Group will be looking to further expand its offering across both territories. 

Angus Scott Brown, managing director of iO, commented: “Caisson and iO have worked together for over ten years and in many ways the two teams are already aligned with the client care we already provide. James Allen and I are excited by the opportunities that the merger of these two strong brands will bring to our UK and international client base over the coming years.”

Mark Bowden, Founding Partner of Caisson commented: “This is a natural progression for both businesses and I am equally excited, along with my two other founding partners, Michael Newman and Philip Stott, by the opportunities that the combined strength of Caisson and iO will bring to our client base in a highly specialised commercial real estate sector which continues to enjoy significant investment opportunities.” 

Caisson was founded in early 2009 by Mark Bowden, Michael Newman and Philip Stott to create an independent investment management business that aligned asset management and investment performance.

iO was originally set up by the late John Sims, one of the UK’s first industrial pioneers. Sims started iO in 1986 as Industrial Ownership, before selling the business in 2004 and then relaunching iO Asset Management with Scott-Brown and the backing of Grosvenor in 2011.