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May & Co.
May & Co. was founded in 1983 and operates as a family-run business based in Hamburg and Itzehoe, Germany.
May & Co.
May & Co. was founded in 1983 and operates as a family-run business based in Hamburg and Itzehoe, Germany. The firm has not publicly disclosed the founding family or the origin of its wealth, positioning itself instead by its track record: more than 400 real estate investments completed across multiple cycles. The group covers three legs of real estate: project development, investment through direct holding, and in-house asset management. Its portfolio spans logistics, retail, office, and hospitality, with confirmed projects including a logistics center in Gautzsch, a sorting center for Amazon, the prizeotel micro-hotels in Hamburg, Hannover, and Erfurt, and multiple retail parks such as the Fachmarktzentrum Kappeln in Schleswig-Holstein. May & Co. also pursues energy infrastructure — it owns operational photovoltaic installations in Schortens, Jarmen, Gera, and Bardowick. Geographic focus is domestic, with developments clustered in Hamburg, Berlin, and across northern and eastern Germany. The firm has been public about its governance evolution. As of early 2024, Tim Oertling was appointed Managing Director of May & Co. Development GmbH, taking over the office real estate division after Ole Segebarth departed in December 2023. Oertling joined from the MOMENI Group, where he led nationwide leasing. The firm operates alongside other German developers; it has co-developed with Pflugfelder on the LOG Park Berlin Schönefeld logistics project. No vehicle beyond the operating companies is publicly identified. May & Co.'s structure fuses development, proprietary balance-sheet investment, and direct operations under one ownership group — no outside fund vehicles or LP capital are referenced in public materials. That consolidated model means the firm retains full decision rights and asset-management control across the lifecycle of each property, a structural distinction from many family offices that invest passively or through external manager mandates.
General information
Firm type
Single Family Office
Year founded
1983
AUM
Undisclosed
Location
Region
Europe
Country
Germany
City
Hamburg
Corporate office
Hamburg, Germany
Additional offices
Itzehoe, Germany
Principals
Tim Oertling
Managing Director, May & Co. Development GmbH
Sector focus
Frequently asked questions
Who runs investment decisions at May & Co.?
The firm does not publicly disclose its full governance structure or the individuals who make investment decisions at the group level. In its development arm, Tim Oertling was appointed Managing Director in early 2024 to lead the office segment. The founding family remains unnamed but retains control over the holding company, with day-to-day development and asset-management decisions executed by its management team.
How does May & Co. finance its projects?
May & Co. presents itself as a proprietary investor and bestandshalter — a long-term holder — suggesting it uses its own balance sheet rather than outside limited-partner capital. The firm does not market any fund vehicles or co-investment programs. It has, however, partnered with other developers such as Pflugfelder on large logistics projects, indicating a willingness to co-develop.
Does May & Co. only develop, or does it also own and operate assets?
May & Co. explicitly structures itself as a developer, investor, and asset manager. It retains properties long-term rather than selling on completion, a model referenced in German as bestandshaltung. This means the firm collects rental income, manages tenants, and oversees operations — visible in holdings such as the prizeotel hotels, Amazon sorting center, and multiple retail parks.
Where does May & Co. invest geographically?
Its portfolio is concentrated in Germany, particularly in Hamburg, Berlin, and Schleswig-Holstein, with additional projects in regions such as Saxony (Gautzsch logistics center) and Lower Saxony. The firm also has an office in Itzehoe, reflecting its northern German roots. There is no public indication of international investments.
Which asset types make up the May & Co. portfolio?
The portfolio spans logistics centers, retail parks and shopping centers, office buildings, and hospitality. Notable assets include a logistics facility for Amazon, several prizeotel micro-hotels, the Mümmelmannsberg district center in Hamburg, and multiple photovoltaic installations, giving the firm exposure to operational renewable-energy infrastructure alongside traditional commercial real estate.
Is May & Co. a single family office or an operating real estate company?
It operates as both. The group is a family-run business with full ownership control, which Altss classifies under the single family office umbrella because it deploys proprietary family capital. In practice, it behaves like an integrated real estate operating company — developing, owning, and managing assets without external fund-of-funds structures.
Has May & Co. ever disclosed its assets under management?
No. The firm does not publish an AUM figure. It communicates scale through a transaction count — more than 400 investments since 1983 — and through its roster of built and operating properties, but total asset value or equity deployed is not publicly available.
Profile maintained by Altss using OSINT (open-source intelligence), regulatory filings, licensed data partners, and verified direct submissions. Read the methodology. Last updated: . Continuous refresh with full update cycles at least every 30 days.
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