2026-03-19 7:00 CET, Germany | Investment Management | Press release

Catella Strengthens its Team for New-build Residential and Office Projects

Catella Project Management (CPM) is currently developing a project pipeline with around 10,000 new homes across Germany. The Seestadt and Düssel-Terrassen neighbourhood developments are the two largest certified ‘KlimaQuartier.NRW’ projects. In a prime location on Königsallee, CPM is also building the KöTower, a flagship green project and the only high-rise development in Düsseldorf’s most prestigious area. To this end, Catella is continuously expanding its team and has recruited four new experts to generate promising investment opportunities.

“We don’t just talk about what’s possible, we show it. The market changes of recent years have given us the opportunity to restructure our business, and it has been a success,” says Klaus Franken, CEO and co-founder of Catella Project Management. “That is why we are all the more delighted to continue our expansion with Katrin Viehmann, Lars Jönsson, Melissa Silberhorn and Sebastian Schmitz – creating new, affordable homes and much-needed office space for modern and sustainable working environments. We will continue to strengthen the team and look forward to the growth in capacity and expertise.”

Katrin Viehmann (39) joined the CPM team as a Senior Investment Manager on 1 December 2025. In this role, she is responsible for structuring projects on the equity side and engaging with new investors and strategic partners. She has extensive experience in investor acquisition, structuring joint ventures, and international project development in Germany, Poland and the USA. Previously, her work included developing strategic partnerships, as well as financial analysis and cash flow modelling for property investments. Viehmann studied Business Administration at RWTH Aachen University and also obtained the ‘Certified Real Estate Investment Analyst’ certificate from the IREBS International Real Estate Business School.

Lars Jönsson (35) has been working as an Investment Manager at Catella Project Management since 1 March 2026, structuring projects on the equity side and supporting project managers, particularly with regard to financial matters in project development. Following his training as an investment fund specialist, he began his career at HSBC Germany in the custodian bank division. Over the past three and a half years, he worked there as a Fund Process Administrator, focusing primarily on data analysis in the context of the custody of alternative investment vehicles. A particular focus was on the accounting and valuation of private equity funds.

With Melissa Silberhorn (31), CPM has gained another experienced project manager. Since 1 March 2026, her responsibilities have included the development and implementation of project strategies, as well as the management of complex project processes, taking into account economic, technical and legal frameworks. She also oversees liaison with authorities, planners, investors and other project partners. Silberhorn completed her Master of Science in Real Estate Management at the IREBS International Real Estate Business School, specialising in property management, development, and investment and financing. Prior to this, she gained extensive experience across the entire project development process at the P&P Group and the ZBI Immobilien Group, particularly in residential construction. Most recently, she was a project manager at Cube Real Estate, where her responsibilities included securing planning permission for new-build and regeneration projects, neighbourhood developments, and project and cost control.


Sebastian Schmitz (37) also joined CPM on 1 March 2026. His responsibilities lie primarily in neighbourhood development and in addressing complex architectural challenges – always with a view to the overall economic and conceptual success of the projects. Schmitz completed his Bachelor’s degree in Architecture at Trier University of Applied Sciences and subsequently his Master’s degree in Urban Planning at RWTH Aachen University. He began his professional career as an architect and urban planner in various architectural practices. Most recently, he spent eight years at RKW Architektur + – initially as an architect and urban planner, and later as an associate. There, he worked in particular on urban development concepts, neighbourhood developments and building construction projects in service phases 1 to 4, and, as a project manager, was also responsible for project coordination, cost planning and scheduling.

 

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About Catella Project Management

Catella creates living spaces: Catella Project Management develops new neighbourhoods with a long-term perspective. The company implements the concept of the “10-minute city”, with a mix of commercial and residential uses, attractive living space for everyone, a sustainable working environment and diversity that ensures the sustainable value of the neighbourhood. New mobility concepts make it possible to give people back the open space in the city; the areas between the buildings are landscaped and designed for people to stay and meet. The districts developed by Catella are in central locations, are planned to be both car-friendly and car-poor and are designed to be forward-looking overall. The guidelines of the ICG's Social Impact Investing Initiative, which Catella Project Management helped to develop and finance, won the imAward in the Social Responsibility category.

Previous projects include Living Circle in Düsseldorf, Living Lyon in Frankfurt and various commercial projects, such as the C&A headquarters and Telekom's largest service centre. The Seestadt and Düssel-Terrassen district developments are the two largest certified KlimaQuartiere.NRW projects in NRW. Most recently, 248 rental flats were completed in the Südviertel district of Seestadt, and 147 social housing flats were completed at Grand Central near Düsseldorf Central Station. By 2030, at least 10,000 new residential units are to be created in Germany. In the office segment, Catella is focussing on top CBD locations such as the green lighthouse project KöTower, the only high-rise project on the elegant Königsallee in Düsseldorf.

Catella Project Management is part of the Catella Group, Stockholm, a leading specialist in property investments and fund management, with operations in 12 countries. The group has over EUR 14 billion in assets under management. Catella is listed on Nasdaq Stockholm in the Mid Cap segment. Read more at catella.com.

More about Catella Project Management at www.catella.com/en/germany/project-management


Press Contact
Klaus Franken
+ 49 211 90 99 35 10
+49 172 3181210
klaus.franken@catella-pm.de