Ben Cook’s property investment company generally likes to look to long term commercial property holdings.
However, late last year it listed one of its recent acquisitions, a huge supermarket in Sydney up for sale, after only owning it for three years.
The Woolworths Metro beneath the soon-to-be-completed Omnia residential block above King’s Cross Station was listed for sale just a week after opening its doors.
Cook Property Group bought the $16.3 million, 1190sqm space in 2016. It marked the start of a move into the Australian market, with purchases of other retail sites ranging from Bondi Beach to Parramatta.
The company now owns a high-quality portfolio of office, industrial and retail property in New Zealand in addition to its more recent Australian acquisitions.
Cook, 43, was a shareholder and director of health business Nature Bee but said he had sold out about 15 years ago to found his own real estate business.
The portfolio now has a strong bias to prime retail property in Auckland and Sydney.
He bought one of New Zealand’s most expensive homes in 2015 - a $24m mansion overlooking Herne Bay - and also owns trophy properties in Arrowtown and Waiheke Island.
Companies Office records indicate a regular business partner is former internet entrepreneur Tim Wood.
Photo: Norrie Montgomery, NewsPixNZ
2018: $150 million