In this week’s edition of People in the News, JLL’s former head of industrial and alternatives in Japan and Korea has been brought on board by Sydney-based advisory Fife Capital as head of real estate investment for Asia, while insurance giant Allianz has added a pair of new faces to its APAC team.
In other moves around the region, Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation hired a former JLL captain as head of real estate for Asia Pacific, while Temasek-backed Tikehao Capital welcomed former a National Australia Bank executive as its head of Asia, Australia and New Zealand.
There were also fresh hires and promotions at Gaw Capital Partners, CBRE and China Railway Construction Company.
Pelham Higgins has been hired by Sydney-based investment and advisory firm Fife Capital as its head of real estate investment for Asia, after parting ways with JLL. Higgins had served as JLL’s head of industrial and alternatives capital markets in Japan and Korea from July 2017 to March 2020, based in Tokyo, following two and a half years as a director for the industrial Asia Pacific capital markets team between 2014 and 2017. Prior to that, the University of Queensland graduate had spent almost seven years in Tokyo with ASX-listed Goodman Group, most recently as a fund manager from 2009 to 2014.
Eddie Yeh has been appointed as head of real estate for Asia Pacific at Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation’s Singapore office, after parting ways with JLL. Yeh had served as head of corporate finance for Greater China for JLL from August 2016 to April 2020 in Hong Kong, following seven years as an executive director in the commercial real estate team of Standard Chartered Bank from 2009 to 2016. Prior to that, Yeh had held director-level positions at Citi between 2000 and 2009.
Neil Parekh has been appointed by French asset manager Tikehau Capital as head of Asia, Australia and New Zealand, according to an announcement by the Temasek-backed firm. Parekh will be joining Tikehau in July as a partner, after serving seven years with National Australia Bank, most recently as general manager for Asia. Parekh has notched up over 30 years of experience in senior positions in the financial services sector, and has held senior leadership positions at French investment bank Natixis, Societe Generale, and DBS.
Dr Eric Li has joined Allianz Real Estate Asia Pacific as Head of Research for the property investment division of the European investment giant. Before joining Allianz effective today, Li had been doing research and analytical work to support the real estate strategies of Singapore’s ARA Asset Management, and earlier for the UK’s M&G Real Estate. Equipped with his PhD in Real Estate Finance & Economics from National University of Singapore, Li started out his career in academia, as a Research Assistant and adjunct Professor while completing his doctorate.
Masayuki Kato has also joined Allianz Real Estate Asia Pacific effective today as a Director with the insurer’s asset management team. In his new role Kato will focus on managing investments in Japan, drawing on his 16 years of industry experience including serving most recently as a Director at Hudson Japan with responsibility for asset management of Lonestar’s real estate fund investments in the country. Prior to joining Hudson, the graduate of Kobe University had worked at firms including GE Real Estate and JLL Morii Valuation & Advisory.
Carmen Ho has been promoted to associate director at Gaw Capital Partners, stepping up after three years as a senior asset manager for the Hong Kong private equity firm. Prior to that, Ho had served as an asset manager for the firm from 2014 to 2016, following three years as an assistant leasing manager for Shangri-La Hotels and Resorts between 2011 and 2014. The University of Warwick graduate had served as a retail consultancy manager for JLL from 2007 to 2011.
Keith McGovern has been promoted to director at CBRE in Thailand, stepping up after two years as an associate director. Prior to joining the property consultancy, McGovern had held various positions at AECOM in Thailand from 2014 to 2018, most recent as a construction services lead. The Institute of Technology, Tallaght graduate had also served as a quantity surveyor and estimator at Murphy Pipe and Civil, UON and Bord Gais Networks between 2005 and 2014.
If you know of other Asia real estate professionals changing their jobs, getting promoted or just doing something exciting, please contact us here at Mingtiandi.
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