Italian real estate firm Coima has unveiled a raft of new governance and management appointments at the top of the business and for its MilanoSesto project, one of the largest urban regeneration opportunities in Europe.
The announcements came as Coima outlined its three-year strategic plan (2024-2026), which will see it enter a new phase of growth, with assets under management projected to rise to over €12 bn by 2026, up 20% from 2024.
The strategy will see Coima continue to build on its focus on ESG-aligned urban regeneration and brown-to-to green asset management programmes, across both residential and commercial.
The business will also further expand in the living sectors, in response to the significant increase in demand for high quality and affordable housing.
Coima is also considering opportunities to invest in sustainable upgrades to logistics assets, particularly last-mile urban distribution centres. The business will also examine the possibility of investment in alternative asset classes, including tourism, credit and nature based.
Manfredi Catella, founder and CEO of Coima SGR, said: 'A series of major structural changes and global megatrends, including ongoing digital innovation, growing social inequalities, and the climate emergency, are fueling a constant and profound technical and cultural revolution in real estate investment, management, and development.
'These are generating important challenges and opportunities. Generating an impactful performance requires interdisciplinary skills, culture and creativity, along with financial, industrial, technical, digital, environmental and social knowledge.'
Governance appointments
At Coima REM, the real estate development and management business, Ferruccio Resta has joined the board as an independent director.
Resta is an internationally renowned mechanical engineer and researcher and will bring his more than 30 years of experience in the fields of mechanical engineering and technology to his role at Coima REM, advising on areas including the integration of AI into the operational management of buildings and implementing advanced technologies in neighborhood management.
Alessandro Rivera has taken on the role of president of MilanoSesto, to help give new impetus to one of the largest real estate development projects in Europe. Rivera, who served as Director General of the Italian Department of the Treasury for 23 years, will bring his experience in public finance to the project.
Méka Brunel has been appointed to the steering committee of the Coima ESG City Impact Fund, Italy’s largest urban regeneration fund, which is investing in major projects including the redevelopment of the Porta Romana railway yard, home to the 2026 Winter Olympics Athletes’ Village.
Brunel has extensive international experience in real estate investment, with previous roles including executive president of CDPQ's Ivanhoe Cambridge Europe and CEO of Gecina.
She is the current president of Fondation Palladio (an emanation of Fondation de France), which aims to contribute to best practices in urban development, and is an independent director for three listed rela estate companies (Hammerson, Emeis and Eiffage).
Management appointments
At the Coima Group level, under the leadership of Catella, Jesse Freitag Akselrod assumes the position of chief performance officer and deputy head of asset management.
Meanwhile, Paola Rusconi has taken the role of director of infrastructure, leading the development of this asset class.
Marco Scalvini assumes responsibility for Coima SGR’s residential investment programmes, as well as becoming director of the Coima ESG City Impact fund.
At Coima REM, Luca Mangia has been promoted to the role of general manager.
