Former Almacantar chief operating officer Matthew Filkin has joined Birchwood Real Estate Capital as managing director, fund and asset management.
Filkin has built up a considerable track record across private and public companies, working across a variety of asset classes and complex situations.
Birchwood was founded by former Blackstone, L&G and Delancey executive Lorna Brown in 2022 and has been backed by WR Berkley, a Fortune 500 insurance company.
Filkin is best known for his time at Almacantar but also subsequently worked for an impact investment fund manager and he previously spent four years at Brookfield Asset Management as general counsel.
Filkin said: 'Birchwood has an amazing team and the opportunity to be part of another growth story with Lorna at the helm was too good to turn down.
'The appeal of the firm is being able to work across many asset classes, disciplines and situations which, together with our experience as borrowers on the equity side, offers crucial benefits to both our clients and our investors. I am also excited to be joining during a formative period for the firm so we, as a team, can grow a unique culture and continually develop as professionals.'
The news follows an announcement last November that Birchwood had hired Libby Thelwall from L&G as a director.
Said Brown: 'Despite being a relatively young business, we ≈have an incredibly experienced team that benefits from no legacy book yet an incredible track record of working with major players across every asset class. Matt’s addition to the senior management team broadens that mix and we are lucky to have him on board.
'In an environment where so many developments are operational and mixed-use, and in a landscape filled with so much uncertainty driven by both macro and sectoral factors, being able to collaborate closely with our clients – bringing our own client-side experience to the table – is an important USP that has allowed us to successfully deploy capital in a challenging market.'
