Link REIT appoints former BlackRock Asia Pacific real estate head John Saunders group CIO
Hong-Kong detailed Link REIT has recently revealed the appointment of BlackRock’s past Asia Pacific realty executive John Saunders as team chief investment officer (CIO) in the freshly created function.
“We are happy to embrace John, who brings with him a wealth of expertise and industry know-how, to the Link family group. The appointment is going to improve the scope and capability of our managing team and will certainly enhance our ability as we search for brand-new progress opportunities and lasting returns for unitholders following the Link 3.0 strategy,” claims Hongchoy.
He signed up with BlackRock with its merging with MGPA in 2013 the minute he was the company’s chief executive officer of Asia and the portfolio supervisor of their Asian Property Funds set. Before signing up with MGPA, he worked for CLSA in between 1999 and 2007, managing their local property research study initiative and was useful in starting their Asian Real property Fund by which he served as a financial investment committee affiliate.
Before that, he worked at Hongkong Land from 1994 to 1998 where he was associated with the development and leasing of several landmark ventures in Singapore and some other Asian countries.
He has over three decades of experience in the real property industry with a strong investment track record, most lately at BlackRock where he also worked as global head of the real estate consumer company.
Saunders, who is going to assume the role from March 4 following year, is going to be responsible for Link’s total investment strategies, profile management and the strategic development of Link’s investment company. He will inform to George Hongchoy, Link’s chief executive officer.
Units in Link REIT finalized unchanged at HK$ 42.55 ($7.25) on the HKEX on Dec 20.
