Global Student Accommodation (GSA), the specialist student housing investment manager, has appointed former Ivanhoé Cambridge executive, Simon Lauzier, as President, North America.

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Simon Lauzier, President North America, GSA

Simon Lauzier, President North America, GSA

Simon will lead GSA’s North American investment and asset management activity to maximize portfolio performance and deepen the long-term partnership GSA has built with Morgan Stanley Real Estate Investing (MSREI) and other key strategic relationships. He will also join the Executive Leadership Team of The Dot Group, GSA’s parent company, which also owns global student housing brand and operator Yugo, and Student.com.

A career on the investor’s side of the table

Lauzier joins from La Caisse (formerly CDPQ), Canada’s second-largest institutional investor, where he was Head of Financial Services and oversaw the integration of its real estate subsidiaries.

From 2017 to 2024 he held senior leadership roles at Ivanhoé Cambridge, then La Caisse’s global real estate investment subsidiary. As Chief Financial and Business Performance Officer, he led the transformation of the finance and business analytics functions to strengthen portfolio performance and chaired the Investment Committee, overseeing more than C$50 billion in acquisitions, dispositions and strategic partnerships. He also played a leading role in the repositioning of the portfolio toward logistics, multi-residential and alternative assets, while driving the expansion and optimization of the C$20 billion financing programs.

Previously, he spent 17 years at GE Capital in New York, Toronto, Paris, London and Milan. He led the European leg of GE Capital’s C$30 billion global real estate divestiture, executed more than C$10 billion of North American debt and equity transactions and built GE’s initial C$2 billion Canadian real estate equity platform. He is a CFA charterholder and a graduate of HEC Montréal.

Nick Porter, CEO of The Dot Group and Founder of GSA, said:

“Over three decades, student housing has moved from the margins of real estate to the core of institutional portfolios, and North America is one of the largest opportunities in front of us.

“Simon has spent his career on the same side of the table as our investors, deploying capital and building platforms for some of the world’s largest institutions. He understands the duty they carry to their own stakeholders, and the standards of discipline and performance that come with it. I know that is exactly the experience our partners want leading our North American business.

“With his leadership and vision, Simon is uniquely positioned to build on the existing bench strength of the GSA North American team, nurture the relationships that got us here and stay focused on maximizing the performance of our portfolios.”

Simon Lauzier, President, North America, GSA, said:

“Student housing offers what long-term investors look for: needs-based demand, resilient income and room to grow. GSA helped build this asset class, and its US platform gives us a strong foundation for growth across North America.

“I have spent most of my career as an institutional investor, so I know what our partners expect: rigor, transparency and consistent performance. My focus will be disciplined growth, strong performance across our portfolios and deepening the partnerships behind them. I also look forward to working closely with our Investor Solutions team and bringing more institutional capital into a sector that, at its heart, serves students starting a new chapter of their lives so they can thrive, pursue their ambitions and realize their full potential.”

Simon’s appointment builds on a period of growth for GSA in North America, with off-market deals and partnerships with institutional investors.

Notes to editors

About Global Student Accommodation (GSA)

Global Student Accommodation (GSA) is the specialist student housing investment manager and part of The Dot Group. GSA has an international presence across 11 countries, with assets in more than 80 leading educational cities. With flagship offices in New York and London, its North American portfolio comprises over 40 properties across 30 cities.

About The Dot Group

The Dot Group (“Dot”) is the global leader in student living, founded by Nick Porter, one of the original creators of the purpose-built student accommodation sector. Dot invests in, develops, manages and drives demand for student housing worldwide through GSA, Yugo and Student.com.

For further information, please visit: www.gsagroup.com | www.thedotgroup.com

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