CBRE IM names Karoline Nader-Gräff head of EMEA Urban Destinations

As part of its long-term succession planning, CBRE IM has appointed Karoline Nader-Gräff as head of the EMEA Urban Destinations Operator Division.

Karoline Nader-Gräff

Effective 1 December 2026, Nader-Gräff will be based in Amsterdam and report to Rik Eertink. She succeeds Eric Decouvelaere, who is stepping down at the end of 2026 to conclude a distinguished 40-year career.

In her new role, Nader-Gräff will oversee all operator initiatives in the office and retail sectors for CBRE IM’s Direct investment strategies in EMEA. The Urban Destinations platform manages over €16 bn in assets across more than 400 properties, focusing on creating premium, experience-led mixed-use environments.

Nader-Gräff joins from Ingka Centres (Ingka Group), where she managed a €9 bn global real estate portfolio as acting Global Expansion and Development director. With over 15 years of international experience, her background includes executing €5 bn in transactions across 13 markets, portfolio management, and asset optimisation, alongside prior roles at ECE Real Estate Partners and Credit Suisse.

Rik Eertink, president and CIO of EMEA Direct Real Estate, CBRE IM, commented: “We are delighted to welcome Karoline to CBRE IM. She is a highly respected and inspiring leader with a strong investor-operator mindset and a proven track record across large-scale, mixed-use platforms. Her deep understanding of evolving occupier needs, combined with her experience in driving performance, repositioning assets and executing complex transactions, will be instrumental as we continue to grow and evolve our Urban Destinations platform and deliver long-term value for our investor and operator clients.”