GRESB Announces New Leadership

GRESB has announced the appointment of Sander Paul Van Tongeren as its new managing director. Sander Paul will assume responsibilities on Dec. 20, 2016, succeeding Nils Kok, who announced his plans to leave GRESB earlier this year. Van Tongeren has been part of GRESB since the company was founded in 2009 and was formerly head of EMEA.

“Sander Paul Van Tongeren is the perfect candidate to lead GRESB through its next phase as we continue to expand and globalize the GRESB real estate and infrastructure assessments,” said Mahesh Ramanujam, president and CEO of Green Business Certification Inc. (GBCI) and GRESB board member. “I am personally committed to supporting Sander Paul’s new role and hope to further the broader integration of GRESB into GBCI, to provide ESG data, engagement and services, from asset to portfolio performance. There is immense potential for market transformation through full integration of the products offered by GRESB and GBCI.”

GRESB was acquired by GBCI in October 2014 in an effort to provide an unprecedented view of global real estate to help protect and enhance the value of its investments, while simultaneously contributing to a more sustainable built environment. “I want to acknowledge Nils and his significant contribution to GRESB over the last seven years. After his transition, he will act as my strategic advisor,” added Ramanujam. “Nils’ vision for the real estate and infrastructure sectors to create more efficient buildings and assets, in ways that make good business sense and reward innovation, will carry forward as we continue to position GRESB as a unique global information platform for real assets and define the financial value of the green building movement and industry.”

Before joining GRESB, Sander Paul Van Tongeren worked at APG Asset Management as Head of Sustainability Real Estate and Infrastructure. Sander Paul co-founded and served on EPRA’s Sustainability Reporting Committee and INREV’s Sustainability Committee and was actively involved in UN PRI’s Property Advisory Group and IIGCC’s Property Working Group. He holds a master’s degree in Business Economics as well as an Executive Master degree in Finance and Control from the University of Amsterdam and a Master of Studies in Real Estate from the Amsterdam School of Real Estate.

“I greatly look forward to the opportunity that lies ahead for GRESB,” said Sander Paul Van Tongeren, managing director, GRESB. “The ability to lead this next chapter is exciting, and I am focused on accelerating the innovation in ESG that our members are expecting from us. I also plan to continue to help GRESB fulfill its mission to enhance and protect shareholder value by assessing and empowering sustainability practices in the real asset sector.”