Aviva Investors has appointed Ed Casal as chief executive of global real estate.

Casal, who has been with the investment manager since 2008, replaces Ian Womack, who is retiring next month.

Casal was previously CIO of Aviva’s real estate Multi Manager and currently holds the position of managing director of global indirect real estate.

He will take up his new role next month.

Meanwhile, Bart Coenraads, head of Asia global real estate Multi Manager, will replace Casal as head of global indirect real estate.

The company’s London office recently named Mike Luscombe as lead manager of the Aviva Investors Property Trust.

Luscombe replaces Philip Nell, who has been appointed fund director at Hermes Investment Management.

Last week, it emerged that the fund manager was selling a £2.5bn (€3bn) portfolio of non-core properties in the UK.

The fund manager declined to comment on media reports that the so-called Project Loch portfolio would go on sale next month.