Canada
People & Companies News for Week Ending November 15, 2024
- BGO has promoted to Michelle Brown to head of BGO Properties, where she will lead its Canadian real estate management operations, overseeing property management, leasing, construction, and third-party services. Brown’s expanded role includes managing the operations and financial performance of BGO Properties, a multi-asset-class portfolio with about 450 properties and 69 million square feet across Canada. She will contribute to BGO’s strategic direction, emphasizing exceptional service for clients, tenants, and residents, as well as growth for the firm’s third-party property management business, the company said. Brown began working with a BGO legacy company in 2000. Since then, she has held progressively senior positions with the organization. With more than 30 years of experience, Brown is a respected leader in commercial real estate and is dedicated to mentoring and supporting women within BGO. She serves as the global lead for the BGO Women’s Network and is a member of the firm’s Equity, Diversity, Inclusivity (EDI) Executive Council. Brown also co-chairs Partners in Project Green, a community promoting environmental action and economic growth across the Greater Toronto Area.
- The Ontario Teachers’ Pension Plan has appointed Kevin Kerr as executive managing director of its newly established portfolio solutions department. This division is responsible for overseeing and enhancing private asset performance, improving the sharing of best practices, and centralizing value creation efforts across the fund. The will unify Teachers’ value creation and portfolio management strategies within its private asset groups to strengthen overall fund performance. Kerr, who has more than 13 years of experience in infrastructure investment at Teachers’, previously led the fund’s infrastructure team in the Americas, managing assets across North and Latin America. He also brings additional senior investment expertise from roles at Bastion Infrastructure Group and OMERS. Chosen for his investment experience and strong performance record, Kerr will work alongside Ontario Teachers’ chief investment officers to further develop cross-asset class strategies that support long-term value creation within the fund’s private asset portfolios.
- Colliers has appointed Jeroen Lokerse as CEO of its Netherlands division, where he will focus on advancing the strategic growth and development of the firm’s Dutch business while enhancing opportunities for employees across the region. Lokerse brings extensive experience from his 17 years at Cushman & Wakefield, where he held various senior positions, including a recent global role in product innovation and over a decade as head of the Netherlands. As Lokerse steps into this new role at Colliers in January 2025, Dirk Bakker will transition to a specialized position as head of hotels for the Europe, Middle East, and Africa (EMEA) region. Bakker will leverage his expertise to lead Toronto-based Colliers’ European hotel team\, a role that will also begin early in the new year. This leadership restructuring reflects Colliers’ ongoing commitment to strengthening its services and expertise within the region, said the company.
- Claudia Alvarenga has resigned as CFO at Firm Capital REIT to pursue other opportunities outside of real estate and the public markets. The Toronto-based REIT has appointed Mordechai Roth as interim CFO. Alvarenga became CFO in 2022. Prior to joining Firm, she was a manager within Manulife Financial’s U.S. business segment. Before then, she served as an assurance manager at MNP.
- Mario Barrafato will retire as CFO at Choice Properties REIT in March 2025. He joined Choice after its 2018 acquisition of Canadian CREIT (CREIT), where he served as executive vice-president and CFO. He has more than 25 years of senior management experience. Prior to joining CREIT, he served as CFO of several public real estate entities managed by Dream Asset Management and held senior positions with Molson Inc. and KPMG. He will be succeeded by Erin Johnston, who is currently the REIT’s senior vice-president of finance. Johnston has progressed through finance positions at Choice and related grocery businesses Loblaw and George Weston Limited since 2011. She has also held analyst and accountant positions with AGF Investments, KPMG and Daimler.
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