People on the Move – 20 October 2015
JLL creates new M&A role in Asia; AMP Capital expands in New Zealand; leasing executive joins DEXUS; China expert partners up with SA law firm; WMK Architecture appoints director-projects; Robina Business Alliance elects new President; and Colliers boosts its leasing team.
Tony Ryan has taken up the newly created role of global head of Mergers & Acquisitions for JLL’s Hotels and Hospitality group, based in Singapore. In more than 30 years in the industry Ryan has been involved in a number of significant hotel deals in the region for companies such as IHG, Hyatt and CDL Hospitality REIT. From 2004 to 2015 he ran Ryan Lawyers, a hospitality-based legal firm. “Hotel operators around the world have an increasing appetite for M&A deals, focused on acquiring smaller hotel groups to absorb within their current brands. In particular, many want to grow their exposure to Asia and we see significant potential in the region,” said Mark Wynne-Smith, Global CEO, JLL Hotels & Hospitality Group.
AMP Capital has expanded its New Zealand property team with Nick Cobham joining the firm as manager of the AMP Capital Property New Zealand portfolio. Cobham has been joint general manager of listed specialised industrial property investment company Property for Industry for the past four years. Previous roles have included development manager for McDougall Reidy & Co and Auckland manager for Capital Properties New Zealand, which was taken over by AMP Capital in 2006. He joins Jonathan Armstrong who was recently appointed divisional asset manager – Retail at AMP Capital New Zealand.
In a new role at DEXUS Property Group, Chris Hynes has been appointed as general manager, Leasing in its office and industrial team. Hynes was previously with CBRE where he was senior managing director, Global Workspace Solutions.
Commercial lawyer Malinda Kuo has joined South Australia law firm Lynch Meyer Lawyers as a partner. Kuo is Secretary of the China Business Network of SA and the Australian Asian Chamber of Commerce Industry and has experience providing transaction advice to businesses in China.
Mark Pellen is the new director-Projects at WMK Architecture. He has been responsible for a number of major projects such as the commercial and retail development at 420 George Street Mid City Center in Sydney, The Crown Sydney Hotel Resort at Barangaroo incorporating a casino, and the 6 Star Green Star TransGrid commercial and integrated fitout development at Thomas Street, Sydney.
Ben Burgess has been elected as the President of the Robina Business Alliance, following the resignation of inaugural President Nic Rone. Burgess currently works for the Queensland Investment Corporation (QIC) and has also held senior management positions with Tourism Development Investment Company and Al Qudra Holdings in Abu Dhabi, Winten Property Group and Landcom in Australia.
Colliers International has recently made additions to its leasing team in Sydney and Melbourne. Thomas Fredriksen has boosted the Sydney CBD office leasing division as an associate director, while Lee Pascoe has joined the North Sydney Office, also as associate director. Pascoe has most recently been sales and leasing development manager with private property developer Capital Corporation. In Melbourne, Milly Stockdale and Stephanie Hawkins have joined the Collier’s CBD office leasing team. Stockdale, who has been appointed as senior executive, was previously with CBRE. Hawkins has been promoted from analyst in Colliers’ CBD office leasing division to executive.