AXA IM Alts has announced that Antoine Mesnage will take up the role of head of Australia following the departure of Kumar Kalyanakumar at the end of September.
Mr Mesnage has over 16 years of real estate investment management expertise and will relocate to Australia from his current position of head of transactions for France.
He is currently responsible for a range of complex and high-profile investments and has led over €11 billion of transactions on behalf of AXA IM Alts clients across all strategies and sectors including residential and forestry.
“The Australian business is integral to our sizeable growth ambitions for the APAC region,” said AXA IM Alts head of the Asia-Pacific, Laurent Jacquemin.
“Antoine brings significant knowledge, skills and years of expertise from his time in Europe, and I look forward to working with him to spearhead the next phase of growth in the Australian market.”
The firm also confirmed the promotions of Chris Willey to head of asset management and ESG, and James Cox to head of fund management, replacing existing head of asset and funds management, Quentin Shaw.
Mr Willey has over 27 years of experience in the institutional fund management sector and is considered a leader in the local market on ESG integration into asset management.
Meanwhile, Mr Cox’s expertise spans across a variety of roles within the real estate and fund management sector, including spearheading AXA Group’s deployment of capital in the Australian market for the past several years.
“As long standing senior members of the Australian business, and with a deep understanding of the local market, Chris and James will be instrumental in complementing Antoine in achieving our growth ambitions,” said Mr Jacquemin.
On the departure of Mr Kalyanakumar and Mr Shaw, AXA IM Alts said that both had been instrumental in developing its expertise in the Australian market and repositioning its Australian platform as a leader in the alternative real estate market.
“I would like to take this opportunity to recognise the passion and energy of Kumar in repositioning and transforming the business as the leading alternative real estate investment manager in Australia,” Mr Jacquemin said.
“I would also like to thank Quentin for his commitment to AXA IM Alts over the past six years and in steering the asset and funds management parts of the business in an excellent manner.”
Mr Kalyanakumar and Mr Shaw will both leave the firm on 30 September in order to allow for an orderly transition.
