GLOBAL – Philippe Depoux, global head of investments at AXA Real Estate Investment Managers, has joined rival firm Société Foncière Lyonnaise as deputy managing director and chief operating officer.

Depoux, 44, will report directly to chairman and chief executive Yves Mansion and MD Alec Emmott.

“Philippe Depoux will develop and deploy SFL's growth strategy, with particular responsibility for managing profit centres, the technical department and the marketing department,” SFL said.

Chief financial officer Nathalie Palladitchef also takes on the title of deputy MD, though her responsibilities are unchanged.

SFL has around a property portfolio worth around €2.5bn, mainly in central Paris.

An AXA spokesperson was not able to say if Depoux had been replaced. He’d worked at the firm for five years.