Dirk Brounen has been appointed to the new chair in Real Estate Economics at Tilburg University in the Netherlands. Brounen, a leading European real estate academic, will continue his research on a range of subjects including risk management, regulation, sustainability, and the performance of real estate investments.

PwC, Amvest, PGGM and FGH Bank are sponsoring the new chair and will support Tilburg University in its endeavours to create new real estate insights and to translate these to real estate markets all around.

'Together, we will crack the DNA-code of profitable and sustainable real estate successes,' said Brounen. Over the next few years he will work on an ambitious research agenda with a focus on risk management, regulations, sustainability and financial performance. 'The last few years have proven the need for fundamental real estate knowledge. Research that creates this knowledge should be regarded as a great investment,' added Tak Lam, CFO of Amvest.

Brounen is professor of Real Estate Economics. Before joining Tilburg University, he worked at Erasmus University in Rotterdam, the University of California in Berkeley, and at the University of Amsterdam. Alongside his scientific work, Brounen has advised various real estate firms and organisations, and worked as a consultant for governments.