Le mie ricette per la real estate communityOxford Properties Group , a leading global commercial real estate investor, developer and manager, announces a series of changes to its leadership team and the appointment of Dean Hopkins as Chief Operations Officer (‘COO’). The changes come at a time of rapid worldwide growth for Oxford, which grew its assets under management (‘AUM’) by a third last year. By simplifying its leadership structure, it aligns Oxford’s leadership group with its global growth strategy as the company continues to diversify across asset classes and geographies. Hopkins appointment as COO brings invaluable C-Suite tech experience to its leadership team as Oxford adopts a digital-first strategy in its approach to property, facility and asset management.
Within the changes, Jo McNamara becomes Managing Director, Head of Europe and David Matheson takes the role of Managing Director, Head of Asia Pacific and continues to lead investment and development activity in both Europe and Asia Pacific. Oxford recently entered the Asia Pacific market in late 2018 via its A$4.5 billion take-private acquisition of Investa Office Fund, a leading ASX listed office REIT. Both report into Paul Brundage, Senior Managing Director, Head of Europe and Asia Pacific and member of Oxford’s Executive Leadership Team.
The new organisational structure also creates new geographic and asset-class leaders in Europe. Jo McNamara will lead the following team:
- Henry Shearer, newly appointed Head of UK, heading up Office and Retail across the region;
- James Boadle, newly appointed Head of UK, heading up Residential and Logistics across the region
- Abigail Shapiro, newly appointed Head of Germany; and
- Pierre Leocadio, newly appointed Head of France.
The reorganisation reflects the rapid global growth of Oxford’s business over the last 10 years, during which time the balance of its portfolio held outside Canada has risen from just 15% of its AUM to now approximately 55%. Since Oxford Properties was established in Europe in 2007, a C$9.6 billion (€5.4 billion) portfolio has been built, through direct and indirect investments in the UK, France and Germany. In 2018, Oxford launched its ‘beds and sheds’ strategy to meaningfully expand its exposure to the multifamily and logistics sectors. It has since tripled its global industrial AUM while increasing its residential AUM by 150%.
Its UK assets include a joint venture investment in DOOR (Delancey Oxford Residential), which owns a 39% stake in the Get Living build-to-rent platform; St James’s Market (a 50% joint venture with the Crown Estate); the Post Building development on New Oxford Street (a 50% joint venture with Brockton Capital) and the Royal Exchange.
Oxford’s continental portfolio includes the Sony Center in Berlin and five prime office and luxury retail assets across Paris.
Source : Company