Timberland Investment Resources, a forestry investment firm, has launched its London-based European investment business, Timberland Investment Resources Europe.

Co-founded by managing partners Hugh Humfrey (pictured) and GianPaolo Potsios, TIR-Europe plans to provide UK and European institutional and high-net-worth investors with access to large-scale forestry investment opportunities worldwide.

The firm is awaiting authorisation from the UK’s Financial Services Authority to start marketing its services to investors.
 
Humfrey is responsible for overseeing TIR-Europe’s investment strategy while Potsios is responsible for directing business development and investor relations. Together they have over 50 years of investment management and corporate and investment banking experience.
 
TIR-USA, which is based in Atlanta, Georgia, and Boston, Massachusetts, was founded in 2003 and has over USD750m under management.
 
Tom Johnson, chairman of TIR-Europe, and managing director, client services and business development, and a founding partner of TIR-USA, says: “The forestry asset class is gaining prominence globally because of its history of outstanding performance and its demonstrated ability to serve as a portfolio diversifier and inflation hedge. We intend to make these unique attributes more accessible to European investors by offering them investments designed to meet their long-term objectives.”