Yudu - Finance Monthly October 2012

Global Expert Guide The Global Expert Guide:

Rainer Nonnengässer YOUNIQ AG

Neue Mainzer Straße 28 60311 Frankfurt am Main

Tel: +49 (0)69 -35101480 Website: www.youniq-group.de

Please introduce yourself, your role and your firm.

My name is Rainer Nonnengässer. Since July 2010, I am an executive board member of YOUNIQ AG. In addition to project development, asset management and compliance, I am in charge of the company's property acquisitions and sales, and responsible for student housing.

YOUNIQ has focused on the student housing market in Germany since 2009. In this segment, our company covers a substantial part of the supply chain – from the acquisition of properties or plots, to the project development including planning, zoning, and building, all the way to the commercial and technical management. With currently 3770 high-end apartments in management or under construction at the moment, YOUNIQ has evolved into one of Germany’s leading providers in this segment.

Q 56

Can you tell us about any recent projects you have worked on that

were particularly interesting? Our core strategy is to expand the

spectrum of our student housing portfolio to a number of 10,000 units until 2015. About 1,500 apartments are realized, 2,300 are under construction or in management. In the last months the construction work in Potsdam, Lübeck and Bayreuth began. Furthermore we bought two plots in Düsseldorf and Reutlingen. Actually we are looking for appropriate locations for the realization of our concept in university towns like Hamburg, Berlin and Köln.

What caught your attention most about them?

Experts predict a further increase in student enrolment for the upcoming semesters, which will steadily drive up demand for student housing. According to figures released by the “Deutsches Studentenwerk” student service organisations, an additional 25,000 dormitory units will be necessary to satisfy demand. The idea behind our latest assets is therefore not just to expand our portfolio, but also to help relief some of the strain on the student housing market in the long run. We have the advantage of being the first mover in the student housing sector in Germany, and we operate through our strong brand and concept. This gives us substance and

confirms the quality of our concept, which provides a solid growth base for the future. In principal, we have an advantage of 2-3 years on the competition due to the fact that we have already established a well-functioning foundation, while other players are now trying to enter this young and growing market but they have to build up their networks, their acquisition pipelines and construct as you cannot find this sort of product on the market. That is a time consuming phase, which we have already gone through.

What would you say is the target group/market you aim for?

Our main target group is students of today and tomorrow. This target group is very demanding: As studies which were carried out by market research institute FORSA on behalf of YOUNIQ showed, students are not only interested in affordable housing. Throughout Germany at least more than 28 percent have approximately 900 euros per month of disposable funds. About 55 percent of students spend more than 350 euros a month on rent and related expenses. This is the main group we are focusing on. Furthermore, the majority of students