(Press Release) – BTG Pactual Asset Management announced that it has successfully finalized the fundraising of the BTG Pactual Brazil Timberland Fund I (the “Fund”) with equity commitments totaling US$860m, creating a fund to invest in timberland in Brazil and other countries in Latin America.

The scope of the Fund demonstrates the unique combination of opportunities that presently exist in the Brazilian timberland market, as well as BTG Pactual’s ability to raise capital for investments during a challenging economic time for the region. Investors in the Fund include a diverse group of global institutional investors and local Brazilian institutions.

“There are a number of compelling reasons to invest in Brazilian timberland,” said Gerrity Lansing, Head of BTG Pactual’s Timberland Investment Group. “In addition to a high degree of technological advancement, the asset class has not been a focus for many institutional investors, and the barriers to entry are high, particularly for managers without a Brazilian-based team and capital sources. Our investment approach is based on patience and discipline, which gives us considerable flexibility in terms of structuring transactions and managing assets over the long term.”

BTG Pactual’s Timberland Investment Group currently manages over US$3bn in the United States, Europe, Latin America and South Africa. The group was established in 2012 through the acquisition of TTG Brasil Investimentos Florestais (“TTG”), and expanded through the subsequent acquisition of Regions Timberland Group (“RTG”) in 2013. The BTG Pactual Brazil Timberland Fund I represents the next phase of BTG Pactual’s long-term timberland investment strategy, with additional vehicles focused on US and European markets currently under development.

“We are gratified by the number of leading institutional investors who have committed capital to this fund,” said Carlos Fonseca, BTG Pactual Partner. “The success of this fundraising reflects investor enthusiasm for our platform’s unique position in Latin America.”