MJ Gleeson, MG Capital, JPMorgan Chase, Keepmoat Homes, Dillon Eustace, AXA IM - Real Assets, Seyfarth Shaw, WeWork, Troutman Sanders, SC Capital Partners, Lendlease, GIC, CBRE Hotels, AEW, Ivanhoé Cambridge
MJ Gleeson – The UK housebuilder has appointed James Thomson interim CEO following Jolyon Harrison’s resignation. The company said following extensive discussions with Harrison “regarding his remuneration and succession planning, the board concluded that it was not possible to find a mutually acceptable basis” for Harrison to continue as CEO. Thomson is the former CEO of Keepmoat Homes, where he remains a non-executive director and shareholder. Harrison joined the MJ Gleeson board in July 2010 and was appointed CEO on 1 July 2012. The company said it has initiated a search for a new CEO.
MG Capital – The US real estate private equity investment manager has appointed Joanna Koutsos as group COO. Her key responsibilities across the organisation are to build and maintain a regulatory framework that will carry the group through its growth ambitions. Koutsos will be responsible not only for MG Capital but for the newly formed Manhattan Residential Income Group set up to give international investors access to MG’s investments. Koutsos will also retain her existing role on the MG Capital advisory board. She has been an affiliate of MG Capital since 2014 and an advisor since 2018. Prior to joining MG Capital, she was an executive director in operational risk at JPMorgan Chase. Prior to joining JPMorgan Chase, she founded her own independent strategy and management consulting firm, Imeros Consulting.
CBRE Hotels – Miguel Casas has been appointed to lead the firm’s hotel properties investment for continental Europe. Casas been with CBRE Hotels since 2006. In his new role, Casas will be responsible for managing and expanding the hotels’ investment properties business throughout continental Europe, helping connect, coordinate and build on the successes already achieved by the 40 strong team.
AEW – Tobias Schnurer has been appointed director of investment in Düsseldorf. Schnurer will be responsible for real estate acquisitions in Germany. He joins from RFR where he was responsible for acquisitions and disposals in Germany. Prior to that, he worked for IVG/TRIUVA in the Investment Management department where he invested across European markets.
Ivanhoé Cambridge – The real estate arm of the Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec has appointed Richard Saul as director of UK asset management. Saul, who joins from Lendlease, will oversee the €43bn real estate manager’s projects in the UK and will be responsible for managing and developing the portfolio to drive superior performance. Ivanhoé Cambridge’s current investments in the UK exceed £2bn and consists of properties and projects in the logistics, office and residential sectors.
AXA Investment Managers - Real Assets – Stuart Carr-Jones has been appointed head of UK, Ireland & Emerging Europe transactions. Carr-Jones will be responsible for the origination and execution of investment opportunities, including due diligence and negotiation. He will also coordinate and manage relationships with key intermediaries and partners as well as work collaboratively with fund and asset management teams. Carr-Jones joins following 14 years at JPMorgan Asset Management where in his most immediate role, he was a senior acquisition officer in the European Real Estate Group focusing on the UK market. Prior to that role, he was an analyst at JPMorgan Real Estate Investment Banking.
Dillon Eustace – Fiona O’Neil has been appointed consultant to the law firm’s real estate practice. O’Neil is a construction law specialist. She will advise on a wide range of construction projects on behalf of developers, construction professionals, financial institutions and real estate investors. O’Neil joined Dillon Eustace from another Irish firm, where she was a partner and head of construction. Prior to that, she was part of the in-house team at Irish Water. She has also held senior positions and consultant roles with other Irish law firms.
SC Capital Partners – Felix Chan has been appointed managing director for the manager’s RECAP Fund series, based in Singapore. Chan will focus on RECAP acquisitions across the Asia-Pacific region. Chan joins SC Capital from GIC where he held senior roles as deputy head of real estate in Japan, and senior vice president in both Tokyo and Shanghai. Over his 16 years with GIC, Chan established a track record in real estate investment management and investing across the real estate capital spectrum via debt and equity within multiple asset classes in China and Japan.
Placense – Ronen Journo has joined the location intelligence proptech start-up’s advisory board. Journo is currently SVP, enterprise at flexible workspace provider WeWork. He will advise Placense in its growth strategy as it scales its business. Prior to WeWork, Journo spent 20 years at Cisco where he was managing director, workplace resources, operations EMEAR.
Seyfarth Shaw – Partner Alonso J Cisneros has joined the law firm’s real estate department and structured & real estate finance practice group in Washington, DC. Cisneros was previously with Troutman Sanders, where he was a member of its multifamily housing finance group. Cisneros’ practice concentrates on advising mortgage banking clients in the origination, sale and servicing of loans sold to government-sponsored enterprises in the secondary mortgage market.
