Denham Capital, Allianz Global Investors, Ascent Developer Solutions, Dunmor Capital, Evercore, I Squared Capital, Cushman & Wakefield, Centersquare, Blackstone, Capital Dynamics, Cushman & Wakefield, Eastdil Secured, Alectra, Robinson Weeks Partners, CBRE, Canary Wharf Group, Leumi UK, Waterton, CP Capital US, Gibson Dunn, Nido Living
CBRE – Will Pike has been promoted to president of US industrial and logistics capital markets and leader of CBRE national partners. In addition to his new responsibilities, Pike will continue to lead the firm’s net lease and corporate capital markets practices. Pike succeeds Chris Riley, who will transition from his leadership role at CBRE at the end of May to become chairman of Robinson Weeks Partners. Riley, who joined CBRE in 2005, was instrumental in creating CBRE national partners in 2010, uniting five leading regional industrial capital markets practices across key markets.
Denham Capital – The global energy transition investment firm has appointed Paul David as operating partner for its sustainable infrastructure credit platform. David has held senior positions at both Allianz Global Investors and MBIA. In his most recent role at Allianz Global Investors, David was one of the founding members of the infrastructure debt team that established the platform in Europe. Following this, he established the Americas infrastructure debt team.
Centersquare – Jason Carolan has appointed chief development officer to oversee portfolio growth and customer enablement strategies. Carolan previously served as chief innovation officer at Flexential and as chief technology officer at ViaWest. He also held leadership positions at VMware and the Mayo Clinic.
Blackstone — Guido Piñol has been appointed CEO alongside Jonas Kriebel as CFO to oversee Proxity, a newly created Frankfurt-headquartered pan-European logistics platform which owns a 7m sqm portfolio owned by Blackstone real estate funds. Piñol and Kriebel have been managing German real estate investment company Office First. The duo have experience leading real estate businesses across Europe, including over a decade working with Blackstone Real Estate. Yvo Postleb, former country head Germany at Cushman & Wakefield, will also join Proxity’s senior management team and as chief operating officer.
I Squared Capital – Ali Mandour has joined the infrastructure investment manager’s Middle East investment team as managing director. Mandour was most recently at Evercore, where he led a broad range of strategic transactions across sectors in Europe and the Middle East. He joins the Middle East investment team based in Abu Dhabi, Riyadh and Delhi.
Ascent Developer Solutions – Hilary Gevondyan joins as general counsel, where she will oversee all areas of legal and regulatory operations across the firm. She brings a wealth of legal experience in the real estate and financial sectors from previous positions at JP Morgan Chase Bank, First Republic Bank and global law firms DLA Piper and Dechert. David Gravelle, a founding member of Ascent Developer Solutions, has been named the head of business development where he will focus on establishing alternative origination channels, expanding Ascent’s product offerings, and coordinating efforts with capital providers. Gravelle previously served as MD, head of administration, and registered in-house Counsel. Jeremy Lee joins as VP, loan officer with a strong track record in real estate loan originations from Dunmor Capital, most recently serving as VP – loan originations with the firm.
People’s Partnership – Marija Simpraga and Raymond Wright have been appointed co-heads of real assets to lead the master trust’s drive into private markets. Simpraga previously led private infrastructure research at Legal & General Investment Management, where she focused on European clean energy and digital infrastructure. Wright has 22 years of pension fund management experience, including 16 years at British Airways Pensions, where he developed expertise in investment management and portfolio oversight. Throughout his career, he has managed diverse private market assets, focusing on innovative strategies that align with ESG principles, manage risk, and drive performance across various asset classes.
Keppel Pacific Oak US REIT Management – See Ai Lin has been appointed head of finance, with effect from 16 June 2025.. She will succeed Andy Gwee who will step down as the chief financial officer to assume a new role in Keppel Ltd. See has almost 15 years of experience in the accounting, finance and auditing industry, and has been with the manager since 2018, shortly after Keppel Pacific Oak US REIT’s listing. She has been promoted from her current role of senior finance manager. Before joining Keppel, she was an assistant audit manager with PwC.
Leumi UK – The real estate lender has appointed Neil Kermode as business development director. In his new role, Kermode will be responsible for generating new business leads across the real estate market with a particular focus on large loans. Kermode joins from Canary Wharf Group, where he worked for over 26 years including most recently as director and head of development finance. He has worked in the real estate industry for over 35 years, having started his career as a quantity surveyor.
Capital Dynamics – the independent global asset manager, has promoted Susan Giacin, senior managing director and head of Americas sales, to the role of global head of sales. In her new role, she will lead the firm’s global fundraising efforts and drive growth across Capital Dynamics’ full suite of investment strategies, including private equity and clean energy. In addition, Giacin will join the firm’s executive committee, contributing to the strategic direction of the firm. Based in New York, Giacin brings over 25 years’ experience in originating, developing and marketing investment solutions to institutional and wealth management clients.
Waterton – The US real estate investor has appointed Kristi Nootens as SVP, development. Nootens will originate and structure both mezzanine/preferred equity and joint ventures in development deals, working closely with Waterton’s acquisition, construction management and research teams. She will also be responsible for establishing Waterton’s development investment strategy and working with the firm’s capital markets team to originate multifamily debt investments, including senior loans and mezzanine and preferred equity deals through a network of new and existing developers, brokers and servicers. Prior to joining Waterton, Nootens was co-head of CP Capital US, where she also served as a member of the investment and Management committees with the focus on multifamily development joint ventures across the US. Prior to that role, she worked as a project manager within the New York City Economic Development Corporation’s strategic investments group, and in commercial property management at Boston Properties.
Alectra – Jane Armstrong has been appointed chair, board of directors. Armstrong succeeds Norman Loberg who has held the position since the company commenced operations in January 2017. Loberg will continue to serve as a director on the Alectra Inc board. Armstrong was called to the Ontario Bar in 1982 and practiced law, primarily in the areas of corporate and commercial real estate and estates and trusts, until her retirement from the practice of law in 2018. Armstrong was appointed to the board of directors of Guelph Hydro Electric Systems in 2006 and served as chair of the Guelph Hydro Board from 2015 until the merger of Guelph Hydro and Alectra Utilities Corporation on 1 January 2019. Armstrong has served on the boards of several community organisations including the Guelph Downtown Board of Management, the Guelph Arts Council and the Canadian Red Cross Society, Guelph-Wellington Branch.
Nido Living – Joanne Pollard has been appointed chief operating officer. Pollard brings more than 12 years of experience as a senior leader in the purpose-built student accommodation and build to rent sectors, most recently serving as COO at Empiric Student Property. Her career also includes leadership roles with Prime Student Living, Campus Living Villages, The Mansion Group and Five Nine Living. Based in the UK, Pollard will support operations across Nido’s European portfolio.vHer appointment follows the departure of previous COO Darren Gardner, who recently stepped down.
Cushman & Wakefield – Adam Pastor has been appointed vice chair of the firm’s industrial advisory group. Based in Southern California, Pastor specialises in the structuring and execution of industrial portfolio sales, recapitalisations, joint venture equity and financing across the country. Prior to joining Cushman & Wakefield, Pastor worked as a MD for Eastdil Secured for 20 years.
Gibson Dunn – James Cameron has joined the firm’s London office as a partner in its finance practice group and as co-chair of its transportation and space practice group. Cameron has experience acting on asset leasing and financing transactions involving aircraft, ships, oil rigs, rolling stock and other movable equipment. He has advised on some of the sector’s most significant transactions in recent years, including SMBC Aviation Capital on its acquisition of Goshawk Aviation’s commercial aircraft leasing platform, the restructuring of Nordic Aviation Capital and the recent sale of Falko to HPS.
