People moves: Manning-Brown to head Pluto Finance UK investor solutions

Pluto Finance, British Land, Columbia Threadneedle Investments, Flotek Industries, Schroder European REIT, Lawson Grains, ISPT, Dexus, Accesso, Rudin

Pluto Finance – The real estate private credit platform part owned by Universities Superannuation Scheme has appointed Ashley Manning-Brown as head of UK investor solutions. Before joining Pluto, Manning-Brown spent 15 years at Columbia Threadneedle Investments as both institutional director and head of consultant relations in the UK. Manning-Brown also gained experience in New York and London on the fixed-income desks of BNP Paribas and JPMorgan.

Dexus – CEO Darren Steinberg has decided to step down in 2024 after more than 11 years in the role. Steinberg will stay on until a successor is found to take over from him to run Australia’s largest listed office landlord. Under his leadership, Dexus has begun to diversify away from office into the broader real property market, including its push into the emerging healthcare sector and capitalising on growth in logistics and industrial. The Dexus board has commenced a formal global search for Steinberg’s replacement.

ISPT – Tom Waters has joined the Australian property fund manager as the head of development. In the new role within ISPT’s investment and development unit, Waters will have oversight for commercial, industrial, retail and mixed use. He joins ISPT after eight years at Mirvac where he was most recently the NSW commercial development director. Before Mirvac, he held a variety of construction and delivery roles at LendLease where he worked for 14 years.

Lawson Grains – Angus Blair has been promoted to chief executive officer. Before the appointment, Blair was general manager. As CEO, Angus will be responsible for driving the overall strategy for the Lawson Grains business, which is one of Australia’s leading corporate farmers with a collective 120,000ha across 11 aggregations in New South Wales and Western Australia. Prior to joining Lawson Grains in 2014, he worked in investment research and consulting.

Accesso – Rob Kuster has been appointed CFO. Most recently, Kuster was the COO of Saluda Grade Short-Term Rental Fund. He is also the former COO of Radiant REIT. Kuster previously served as president and COO of Invesco Mortgage Capital.

British Land – The UK commercial property company has appointed Mary Ricks as non-executive director. She recently stepped down as president of Kennedy Wilson,  where she worked for 32 years, overseeing the launch of its European business and subsequent IPO in London in 2014. Ricks was group president of the group from 2018 to 2023, serving as a board member with a focus on the investment and asset management business.

Rudin – Samantha Rudin Earls and Michael Rudin will assume the role of co-CEOs, and Neil Gupta will serve as president and CIO from January next year. Current CEO Bill Rudin and president Eric Rudin will each continue in their roles as co-chairmen of the organisation. As co-CEOs, Samantha and Michael will jointly manage the company’s business lines, with Samantha overseeing the multifamily business and Michael the commercial office business, as well as sharing the responsibility for establishing and implementing Rudin’s strategic plan. Samantha and Michael will be the fourth generation of the Rudin family to lead the family business. Samantha joined the firm in 2007 and currently serves as EVP. Michael joined the firm in 2008 and currently serves as EVP. Neil joined Rudin in 2012 and was named CIO in 2018. In addition to his new role as president, Neil will retain the title and duties of CIO, continuing to manage investments, acquisitions, financial assets and capital markets for the Rudin portfolio.

Energy Vault Holdings – The sustainable grid-scale energy storage solutions firm has appointed Bernie Colson as vice president of investor relations. Most recently, Colson served as SVP president for corporate development, sustainability, and investor relations at Flotek Industries in Houston, TX. Before his role at Flotek, he was a global equity analyst and energy team lead at Ivy Investments in Kansas City. Prio. Earlier in his career, he served as MD and team leader of energy infrastructure research at Oppenheimer and held various energy investment-focused roles at Tortoise Capital Advisors, Waddell & Reed, and Citigroup Asset Management.

Schroder European REIT – Mark Beddy has been appointed independent non-executive director with effect from 1 January 2024. Beddy will also be a member of the audit, valuation and risk committee, nomination and remuneration committee and management engagement committee. Beddy is expected to succeed Jonathan Thompson as chair of the audit, valuation and risk committee following his retirement from the board at the conclusion of the AGM in March 2024. Beddy was formerly a senior audit partner in Deloitte. He is a trustee of the British Council, where he is chair of the finance committee and a member of the audit and risk committee. He is a non-executive director of Portfolio REIT and chair of the audit committee. He is an independent member of the finance committee of the London Symphony Orchestra and chair of its subsidiary LSO Productions Limited. He is a trustee of a private real estate portfolio and an independent member of the credit committee of a real estate income fund.