Thierry Leleu, formerly GE Capital Real Estate's managing director in Europe, is taking charge of funds managment at Valad Europe.

Thierry Leleu, formerly GE Capital Real Estate's managing director in Europe, is taking charge of funds managment at Valad Europe.

The appointment comes as Valad Europe acquired the management of GE Capital Real Estate's €500 mln Polish retail property fund. In all a 20-strong team are moving from GE Capital Real Estate to Valad Europe.

Leleu replaces David Kirkby, Valad Europe's current head of funds management, who is taking on the newly created role of chief investment officer.

A lawyer by training, Leleu has a long track record in real estate fund management. GE Real Estate appointed him as managing director for Europe in 2008 as part of the firm's global move into the investment management sector. Leleu had already served as European general counsel for GE's real estate division for two years.

Leleu came to GE Capital from Orion Capital Managers where he was fund director located in Paris and London. Prior to Orion, Leleu was a corporate partner at the law firm of Norton Rose, where he advised numerous real estate private equity funds on their European transactions.

Valad Europe’s CEO Marty McCarthy has known Leleu for many years as he also previously worked at GE Capital.