Franklin Templeton, through its real estate division Clarion Partners, has closed a deal to acquire a majority stake in Stoneshield Capital, the investment firm founded by Felipe Morenés and Juan Pepa. The company has communicated the operation without revealing the amount of the transaction.
The two co-founders of Stoneshield will remain linked "in the long term" to the manager and will continue to lead the definition of the investment strategy, the growth plan, and the day-to-day management. The firm will also maintain its current office structure in Spain, Portugal, Ireland, the United Kingdom, and Luxembourg.
After the integration, Clarion Partners will triple the volume of assets it manages in the European market, bringing it to 11 billion euros, which will allow Franklin Templeton to exceed 265 billion euros in assets managed in the field of alternative investments.
The final closing of the purchase is expected in the fourth quarter of 2026, subject to the fulfillment of the usual requirements in this type of operation, including the delivery of certain regulatory documentation. Stoneshield Capital has had Goldman Sachs International as a financial advisor in the process.
The manager driven by Juan Pepa and Felipe Morenés was born in 2018 and focuses on real assets in Europe with limited offerings, such as residences and accommodations for students, digital infrastructure, hospitality, and critical infrastructure. It currently manages 8 billion euros.
In addition, Stoneshield holds stakes in various real asset platforms, including MiCampus, Solaria (9.545%), Exolum (4.93%), Neinor Homes (18.627%), and Meliá Hotels International (5.388%).