This article originally appeared in Adviser Voice.
Australian owned wealth and asset manager, Real Asset Management (RAM), has appointed global real estate veteran Matthew Strotton as Head of Funds Management for its Real Estate Division as it seeks to accelerate its rapid growth trajectory.
Mr Strotton has more than 25 years’ real estate experience in global markets across capital transactions, product development, investment and funds management.
He joins RAM after more than 19 years at QIC Global Real Estate where he was Global Director and Head of Funds Management, with responsibility for the group’s Australian and United States portfolios.
Matthew was instrumental in increasing QIC’s real estate AUM by over $10 billion. He established QIC’s real estate brand and capabilities in the United States and assembled large tranches of the group’s global portfolio by constructing long term solutions for investment partners. Prior to joining QIC, he worked for Lendlease in a range of development roles in Australia.
Strotton joins RAM during a transformational period that’s seen significant growth across all areas of the business. During 2021, RAM’s global headcount increased by almost 60% to more than 100 employees in five offices across the Asia-Pacific Region.
As at 31 December 2021, RAM’s total AUM had increased more than 65% year on year to more than $2.74 billion, with Real Estate AUM surpassing $1 billion.
RAM CEO Australia Scott Kelly said hiring Strotton represented a further strengthening of a talented Real Estate team and will provide many opportunities to apply his expertise and experience.
“Matthew will play an integral role in crystallising our existing strategic plans and platforms in the unlisted and listed spaces as well as forging new partnerships and opportunities,” he added.
In the third quarter of 2021 RAM listed its first Real Estate Investment Trust on the ASX, the RAM Essential Services Property Fund (ASX:REP). The Fund consists of a geographically diversified and defensive portfolio of pure medical and essential retail based properties, underpinned by a high-quality essential services tenant profile including hospital operators and leading national supermarkets, and offers growth opportunities through an activated and significant value-add pipeline.
RAM has also acquired 4 properties for its RAM Diversified Property Fund, a new defensive unlisted property fund with a focus on office, retail, industrial and alternative sectors.
“I am excited to join a highly successful and energised team to deliver on existing successes and to bring new avenues of capital solutions and growth to the RAM group.” said Strotton.
Other RAM hires since January 2022 include:
- Lang Messer has joined RAM in Brisbane as Head of Investor Relations to help the firm connect with its growing institutional client base, with a particular focus on its listed offering. Lang has over 20 years of experience in finance and capital markets gained in Australia and the United Kingdom. Prior to joining RAM, he was Director at Equitory, a boutique Investor Relations Consultancy providing outsourced IR capability to high growth companies listed on London’s AIM and Main markets.
- Natasha Van Kempen has joined RAM in Brisbane as a Development Analyst. With a number of projects underway and many more scheduled to commence in 2022, Natasha is responsible for assisting with RAM’s growing value-add pipeline throughout the portfolio. Prior to joining RAM, Natasha worked within multiple sectors of the property industry having previously worked for Stockland, Colliers International and Cushman & Wakefield.
- Kala Muthusamy has joined RAM in Sydney as a Financial Controller. After starting her career at Ernst and Young and becoming a tax advisor at Nexia Australia, Kala was a Finance Manager at the OpenMarkets Australia and a Financial Controller at Acrux prior to joining RAM.
- Josephine Chan has joined RAM in Melbourne as a Business Development Manager. She previously worked for La Trobe as a Business Development Manager, and more recently as a Senior Business Development and Client Relationship Manager for BC Invest.