Clifford Chance advises Ardian on acquisition of majority stake in The Social Hub Berlin

Global law firm Clifford Chance has advised Ardian, a world-leading private investment firm, on the acquisition of a majority stake in The Social Hub Berlin, a hybrid asset combining student accommodation, extended-stay and short-stay offerings. The transaction was undertaken alongside Rockfield and marks the second investment in Germany under the parties’ pan-European purpose-built student accommodation (PBSA) strategy. The Social Hub will retain a minority stake in the asset and continue to operate it under a long-term management agreement.

The property comprises 474 units and follows the acquisition of the Blue Gate Aachen student housing project in 2025, the first German investment under Ardian’s and Rockfield’s pan-European PBSA strategy. The transaction increases the platform’s total investment volume to more than €1.16 billion and approximately 7,500 beds across Europe.

Clifford Chance also advised Ardian on the acquisition of the Blue Gate Aachen PBSA development in 2025, the first German investment under Ardian’s and Rockfield’s pan-European student housing strategy.

The Clifford Chance team was led by partners Fabian Böhm (Real Estate) and Dominik Engl (Tax, both Frankfurt) and further comprised senior associates Tatjana Bougargour and Sabrina Tenebruso, associate Laura Spohn, and senior transaction lawyers Birgit Seyfert and Sophie Töke (all Real Estate, Frankfurt);, counsel Claus-Peter Knöller, transaction lawyer Jule Geiger, tax consultant Leonie Gebauer (all Tax, Frankfurt and Munich), and senior associate Tom Bleser (Tax, Luxembourg); partner Christopher Fischer and associate Maximilian Schunder (both Employment, Frankfurt and Munich); partner Holger Lutz and senior transaction lawyer Carina Soesanto (both Corporate, Frankfurt); partner Saskia Myners, counsel Maxime Budzin and associate Reda Azaoum  (all Corporate, Luxembourg).