JLL’s Retail Raven Heading Back to UK with InfraRed

David Raven, head of retail investment for Asia at JLL, is heading back to the UK next month to join InfraRed Capital Partners, after more than three years in the region, according to a report today in the Estates Gazette.

The capital markets veteran will be saying goodbye to the agency that he joined straight out of Reading University in the UK, to become director of European real estate with the private equity investment firm.

Raven’s departure comes within weeks of CBRE’s head of capital markets for APAC, Richard Kirke announcing his own plans to head back go Auckland, during what is shaping up to be a challenging year for investment brokers in the region. According to JLL’s own figures, real estate investment volume during the first quarter of 2016 was down 5 percent from a year earlier.

At InfraRed, which was known as HSBC Specialist Investments until a successful management buyout in 2011, Raven will be charged with acquisitions and disposals in the UK and Europe, starting from July 4^th, but with a particular focus on the retail sector.

Before relocating to Hong Kong in 2012, Raven had run JLL’s shopping centre investment advisory unit in the UK, and has been with the company since 1999.

JLL’s former CEO for Asia Pacific, Alastair Hughes is also heading back to the UK at the end of this month, with the company’s former eastern China head, Anthony Couse having taken over as chief executive from APAC from June 1^st.