Michael Fraidakis has been hired at LaSalle Investment Management as head of alternative investment strategies and its chief investment officer for Canada. 

As part of this newly created role, Fraidakis will assume the responsibilities of Chris Lawrence, who retires in June from his position as LaSalle’s head of value-on strategies. 

Fraidakis moves to LaSalle following 22 years with BGO, where his most recent title was managing director and head of Canadian investments. Prior to BGO, he was the accounting manager at Beutel Goodman Real Estate Group.

Fraidakis’s real estate experience dates back to 1996, when he started at Cadillac Fairview as a clerk in the corporate legal department. 

Innis named president, COO at Sutton Group

James Innis is the new president and COO of Sutton Group. 

In a statement, CEO and chairman Ross McCredie said Innis’s experience in both real estate and technology will support the company’s “mission to evolve the Canadian real estate sector towards technology-driven wealth management.” Innis will be based out of Vancouver, where Sutton Group is headquartered. 

“James’s expertise aligns perfectly with our vision to empower our group, franchise partners, agents, and all Canadians with cutting-edge tools and data, redefining the real estate industry in Canada,” McCredie added in the announcement.

Innis joins Sutton Group after nearly five years in Toronto as managing director of investment at R-LABS Canada Inc. During that same period, he held roles as a board advisor and board member at Assembly Corp. 

Innis has had an international career, with previous roles in the U.K. (at Drake Star Partners and Wooshii), Germany (HitFox Group), Vancouver (Garibaldi Capital Advisors) and Toronto (OneEleven 111). 

Mantella hires Gong as director of investments

Gavin Gong has accepted a position as director of investments at Mantella Corporation.

Gong will focus on acquiring new industrial real estate assets and development projects in the Greater Toronto Area.  

His previous position was manager of acquisitions and analysis at Berkshire Axis Development, where he was promoted into various roles after starting at the company in 2019.

In addition to Toronto-based positions at PwC Canada and Forgestone Capital, Gong has worked in Beijing for two companies, China Re Asset Management Co. Ltd. and Detecon International GmbH. 

Traikos, Barras join JLL

JLL Canada recently added two new faces to its team. 

After spending the entirety of his 22-year real estate career at Cushman & Wakefield, Philip Traikos is now executive vice-president at JLL Capital Markets, which tapped Traikos for the job due to his expertise in mid-cap private sector investment.

His most recent position at Cushman & Wakefield was vice-president of investment sales.

Also joining JLL is Scott Barras, who has been hired as Canada lead in the company’s work dynamics division.

He’ll be based in Toronto following postings in Singapore and Dubai during his 13 years with Standard Chartered Bank. His last title at the bank was global head of workplace. 

Terra Firma promotes Lee to VP finance

Jun Lee has been appointed VP of finance at Terra Firma Capital Corporation. 

Lee will oversee the optimization of technology systems at the firm and spearhead the launch of its new investment fund. He will report directly to president and CEO Seth Greenspan as a member of the senior management team. 

Lee, a CPA, launched his career at Beach Tax Company in 2010 before moving to Timbercreek Asset Management and then Flexiti.

His most recent position before Terra Firma was director of finance and corporate controller at TAS, a Certified B Corporation that approaches real estate investment through the lens of social and environmental impact. 

Lakha succeeds Klingher as R&R CEO

Irfan Lakha is the new president and CEO of R&R REIT (RRR-UN-X).

He replaces Michael Klingher, who stepped down as president and CEO to pursue other endeavours.

Lakha has been a member of the REIT’s board of trustees since 2015 and was its CFO from 2013 to 2015. He is also currently an executive vice-president at Westmont Hospitality Group. 

McFarlane becomes principal, director at AY

Michael McFarlane has started a position at Avison Young as principal and director of valuation and advisory services. 

His career includes experience in underwriting and valuation for both the public and private sectors. He most recently spent five years at Newmark as vice-president of valuation and advisory.

Before Newmark, McFarlane’s prior roles were at Infrastructure Ontario and PVCI Inc. 

McIlmoyle moves to Sienna subsidiary Aspira

Geoff McIlmoyle has joined Sienna Senior Living as executive vice-president of Aspira Retirement Living. 

McIlmoyle was a mergers and acquisitions specialist in previous positions at Arthur Andersen, PricewaterhouseCoopers and Ernst & Young Orenda Corporate Finance Inc. 

He subsequently took his talents to Canadian Tire Corp (CTC) to become associate VP of corporate strategy and development. McIlmoyle then moved over to CTC’s Mark’s division, where he was vice-president of Mark’s Commercial before landing his new job at Sienna.