Savills Investment Management, the international real estate investment manager, has appointed Kevin Aitchison to the new role of managing director – equity investments UK & Europe.
Aitchison will join Savills IM at the end of 2023, and report to Alex Jeffrey, chief executive.
Said Jeffrey: 'I’m delighted to welcome Kevin to Savills IM. As an accomplished business leader with many years’ experience in building high performing integrated teams in the real estate industry, Kevin has the right credentials to drive the continued growth of our European equity investment platform.
'His new role will be pivotal in building on the momentum and strength of our proposition in Europe at a key time in the real estate cycle.'
Aitchison joins from Knight Frank Investment Management (KFIM), where he has held the position of chief executive for over 11 years. Prior to this, he was at ING Real Estate Investment Management UK for 11 years, initially as a fund director and then chief executive.
He will take on business management responsibility of Savills IM’s Equity Investment teams across its UK and European platform.
His new role has been created in anticipation of the retirement of Kiran Patel from the role of deputy chief executive and global chief investment officer from April 2024.
Going forward, Patel’s responsibilities will be split between Aitchison and a new Global CIO; for the latter position, a hiring process has already begun.
Patel, who has worked in the real estate industry for 35 years, including almost 12 years with Savills IM, will continue in a part-time advisory capacity beyond March 2024 and remain a member of Savills IM’s Investment Committee.
Said Aitchison: 'After eleven and a half very enjoyable years at KFIM, working with an exceptional group of people, I am very much looking forward to the challenge of my new role at Savills IM: the firm has built an enviable investment track record, delivered by a talented and well-regarded team, and it’s an exciting opportunity to embark on a new chapter of growth.'
