CEO of Property NSW, Brett Newman, moves on. Challenger’s head of real estate Trent Alston retires. Laura Hamilton-O’Hara leads the Living Future Institute of Australia and RCP has three new national directors.
In one of her first decisions as NSW Minister for Water, Property and Housing, Melinda Pavey has moved the Property NSW and Public Works Advisory into the Department of Planning & Industry under a new secretary, Jim Betts. As part of the restructure, CEO of Property NSW Brett Newman is moving on. During his six years in the role, Newman built an organisation with almost 1,000 people, more than $5 billion of assets under management and a project pipeline of over $10 billion of end value. Sam Romaniuk, currently executive director of the department’s place management division will act as CEO.
After a three-decade property career, Trent Alston has decided it’s time to retire. Head of real estate
with financial services firm Challenger since 2006, Alston has grown the division to $9.9 billion. Alston’s time with Challenger follows seven years with Colonial First State Global Asset Management where he managed a portfolio valued at more than $8 billion. Alston also spent 12 years with Lendlease in various construction, project, development and investment management roles both in Australia and overseas.
Laura Hamilton-O’Hara takes the helm at the Living Future Institute of Australia. The organisation has expanded to take the next step in the evolution of the Living Building Challenge. Hamilton-O’Hara’s career includes education and community conservation work with Taronga Zoo and, most recently, a stint as sustainability officer with Macquarie University.
Construction project management firm RCP has appointed three new national directors. Sydney-based Mark Dibben leads RCP’s team in NSW and has delivered several major complex developments in the state. Brisbane-based James Goodson has extensive experience in the planning and hands-on delivery of major complex projects in Australia and the UK. And Greg Atkinson, who also works out of RCP’s Brisbane office, has amassed substantial experience across a diverse range of sectors including major retail, office, residential and aviation projects.
Domain has appointed a new chief customer officer. Jason Chuck previously held positions as the head of marketing at Google, where he worked with Domain’s current managing director and CEO Jason Pellegrino. He was most recently CEO of LJ Hooker Avnu in Sydney’s Neutral Bay. While it’s a new role, Chuck will take on some responsibilities of former chief marketing officer, Melina Cruickshank.
Johnson, which specialises in executive search and leadership succession, has appointed Dianne Cassen as partner and leader of the firm’s real estate and construction practice. Cassen has more than two decades’ experience in executive search, human resources and organisational coaching. She was recently head of human resources at Meriton and has held senior executive roles in Talent2 and Hudson, two of Australia’s leading executive recruitment and HR consulting companies. Cassen is also a longstanding volunteer for the Property Industry Foundation.