Hugh Macdonald Appointed Head of CBRE Capital Advisors for Asia Pacific

CBRE has named investment banker Hugh Macdonald as head of its capital advisory unit for Asia Pacific.

Macdonald, who will begin his role in Sydney before relocating to Singapore in the first quarter of 2025, joins CBRE from Deutsche Bank, where he had served as head of real estate, gaming and lodging investment banking from 2008 to 2020 before being promoted to head of investment banking coverage and advisory, with both of those roles covering the Australia and New Zealand markets.

The executive will report to Leo van den Thillart, global head of investment banking, as well as to Greg Hyland, head of capital markets for Asia Pacific.

“Our Capital Advisors business has experienced exceptional growth in Asia Pacific, raising over $3.5 billion of capital in the past 18 months,” Hyland said in a release on Monday. “With Hugh’s established relationships, we are confident in expanding our investment banking services across the region, providing top-tier capital markets, M&A, and strategic solutions to our clients.”

Banking on Real Estate

CBRE pointed to the depth of Macdonald’s finance expertise, which spans mergers and acquisitions, financing, and capital markets, with the veteran banker having originated and executed transactions across Asia Pacific.

“I am eager to collaborate with my new colleagues to enhance the value we provide to our clients, meeting their diverse capital requirements and driving business growth throughout the Asia Pacific region,” Macdonald said.

The consultancy also highlighted Macdonald’s “deep understanding” of the real estate, gaming, leisure, and lodging sectors.

Prior to joining Deutsche Bank, Macdonald was a director in the real estate investment banking team at Citi’s Australia unit from 2005 to 2008. Before that, the University of Melbourne graduate also worked at Morgan Stanley in the UK and at Bankers Trust.

Asia Pacific People Moves

Macdonald’s appointment comes amid a flurry of Asia Pacific personnel moves at CBRE this year.

In August, the consultancy hired Hannah Jeong as executive director and head of valuation and advisory services in Hong Kong, with the executive joining CBRE from Colliers in Hong Kong.

That same month, CBRE elevated Henry Chin to chief operating officer of global research, with the former head of Asia Pacific research relocating from Hong Kong to the firm’s headquarters in Dallas. Chin was promoted at the same time that Hong Kong-based Ada Choi took over Chin’s role as head of Asia Pacific research.

In July, CBRE named Paul Baxter regional managing director of global workplace solutions for the enterprise accounts business in Asia Pacific, with the executive having relocated from Hong Kong to Singapore for his new role.

In April, CBRE hired former Colliers executive Michael Bowens as head of industrial and logistics for its Asia Pacific advisory and transaction services practice, based in Singapore.

Earlier this year, Kelvin Chan was named executive director and head of CBRE Capital Advisors in Hong Kong, after previously serving as CBRE’s head of China capital markets.