Rob Kumer, president and chief investment officer, KingSett Capital. (Courtesy KingSett Capital)

KingSett Capital has expanded the role of Rob Kumer, adding the title of president to his existing position as chief investment officer.

In this expanded role, Kumer will be responsible for the execution of strategy, drive the continued advancement of the firm’s culture, build and maintain key relationships, seek new opportunities and deliver results for investors.

Kumer will continue to report to KingSett’s founder, Jon Love, who will remain chief executive officer.

“After 17 years at KingSett, I am delighted to assume this expanded role and help lead KingSett into its next phase of growth and investor performance,” said Kumer in the announcement. “I look forward to continue working with Jon over the coming years.”

Kumer joined KingSett in 2004 as an analyst and became CIO and chair of the investment committee in 2018, then chair of the management committee in 2020.

As CIO he has had responsibility for leading the investments and project finance teams which source, underwrite and structure investment transactions for KingSett’s various funds.

He has also provided oversight of KingSett’s mortgage lending business and served as fund manager for KingSett’s growth funds and urban fund.

Kumer holds a degree in business administration from the Ivey Business School at Western University.

Foroglou CFO at Epic

Eileen Foroglou, chief financial officer at Epic Investment Services. (Courtesy Epic)

Eileen Foroglou is the new chief financial officer (Canada) at Epic Investment Services. In this newly created role, Foroglou is responsible for executing on the business strategy while overseeing corporate and property accounting, financial reporting, risk management and information technology.

Prior to joining Epic, she was chief financial officer at NYX Capital Corp., where she oversaw corporate finance, treasury, accounting, financial reporting, financing, risk management and control systems.

Foroglou also held various progressive roles in finance, investments and asset management with Strathallen Capital Corp., and accounting roles at PenEquity Realty Corporation, Colliers International and Oxford Properties Group.

She holds a bachelor of business administration degree from the University of Toronto and is a CPA, CMA.

Robinson joins C&W in Quebec

Cushman & Wakefield has hired Brent Robinson as managing principal in Quebec, where he will lead over 50 professionals providing office, industrial and retail services.

Robinson joined Cushman & Wakefield from iA Financial Group where he was director, leasing and asset management, directly overseeing leasing activities for a six-million-square-foot portfolio of properties in Montreal, Quebec City, Ottawa and Toronto with a market value of $2.7 billion.

At iA, he also was responsible for marketing and business development, and he played a leading role in acquisitions and restructuring the firm’s real estate department.

Robinson began his real estate career at CBRE after playing professional hockey in the U.S. and Europe. He also served as senior manager, leasing, at Oxford Properties Group.

Colliers hires Frost in GTA

Robert Frost has joined Colliers International (CIGI-T) as senior managing director for the investment practice group in the Greater Toronto Area. He will work with teams in the GTA North office.

Frost brings over 15 years of experience in the real estate industry working on both the brokerage and landlord sides of the business. Most recently he worked at Prologis as vice-president, investment officer and led all investment activity in Canada.

Prior to Prologis, he was the senior director for GTA leasing at GWL Realty Advisors.

Earlier in his career, Frost worked as a broker at Colliers.

In his new role, Frost will identify business development opportunities, foster strategic relationships and oversee the continued growth of the team.

Gnanam moves to BOMA Canada

BOMA Canada has named Bala Gnanam its vice-president – sustainability, advocacy and stakeholder relations. Gnanam spent the past 10 years with BOMA Toronto, most recently as vice-president – energy, environment and advocacy.

“Bala has been a trusted colleague and mentor since I joined BOMA Canada almost a decade ago,” said Benjamin Shinewald, president and CEO of BOMA Canada, in the announcement. “Over the years, we’ve collaborated frequently and his counsel has always been generous, progressive and wise.

“As we enter a new era and launch significant new projects, Bala’s leadership will help us drive BOMA Canada forward, and the members we represent, even more aggressively.”

Tsang takes general counsel post at Fengate

Vernita Tsang is the new general counsel at Fengate Asset Management, following the retirement of Heather Crawford.

Tsang brings a wealth of experience to her new role including five years as an expert and legal guide with Fengate’s complex infrastructure transactions and public-private partnerships.

Prior to joining Fengate in 2016, she was a director in the transaction legal group at Infrastructure Ontario. She spent eight years there in progressively more senior roles advising authority clients on all aspects of major civil, social and transit infrastructure projects delivered through public-private partnership models.

She also has strong legal experience in procurement, construction and commercial real estate from past positions at Infrastructure Ontario and McCarthy Tétrault LLP.

Green joins Marwest board

Marwest Apartment Real Estate Investment Trust (MAR-UN-X) has appointed James Green to its board of trustees. Prior to the appointment, Green, CPA, CA, served as chief financial officer at Artis Real Estate Investment Trust from its inception in 2004 until 2021.

The REIT’s board is comprised of chairman Luke Cain, Jason Pellaers (both independent trustees), as well as William Martens and Cornelius Martens. The audit committee is now comprised of Pellaers (chair), Cain and Green.

Sonder shuffles board memberships

Sonder Holdings Inc. has made a number of changes to its board of directors. The company, which was founded in Montreal but is now based in San Francisco, named Frits van Paasschen lead independent director, and has added Janice L. Sears who will also head the audit committee.

van Paasschen is the former Starwood Hotels president and CEO and has served on Sonder’s board since February 2020. Sears is the former managing director and western region head at Bank of America Merrill Lynch.

Cruise chairs CMLS advisory committee

Toronto-based CMLS Financial has named Brydon Cruise as chair of the CMLS advisory committee. He will provide guidance and participate in setting the strategic direction of the committee and will be based in the Toronto office.

Cruise has more than 30 years of global real estate experience concentrating on acquisitions, mergers and corporate finance in both North America and Europe.

ULI announces new appointments

The Urban Land Institute (ULI) Toronto announced a series of appointments to its global and regional boards.

Peter Ballon, global head of real estate for CPP Investments, has been appointed ULI global chair. Ballon will serve on a voluntary basis for a two-year term.

Ashley Lawrence, managing director, head of Canada, real estate at Brookfield Asset Management, will also assume a new role as global governing trustee and sit on the Americas executive committee.

The management board has also experienced several changes:

– Vakis Boutsalis, vice-president, kg&a will serve as co-chair of the communications committee.

– Christine Chea, senior manager, development, GTA urban for Mattamy Homes, and Sameer Patel, vice-president, Tate Economic Research join as co-chairs of the diversity, equity, and inclusion committee.

– Arthur Ho-Wong, director and counsel planning and real estate, Habitat for Humanity Greater Toronto Area, will serve as co-chair of the Outreach Committee.

– Philip Smith, associate, development, Oxford Properties Group, will serve as co-chair of the sponsorship committee with Casey T. Gallagher, executive vice-president CBRE.

– Vickey Simovic, senior advisor to the chief development officer, transit-oriented development, Metrolinx will serve as co-chair of the Connect Committee, with Stephanie Rosales, development manager, QuadReal Property Group.

– Kim Beckman, managing partner, Davies Howe LLP joined as co-chair of the women’s leadership committee in September 2020.

The ULI Toronto Advisory Board welcomes new members Zahra Ebrahim, Courtney Cooper, Grace Lee Reynolds, Laurie Payne, R. David Stewart, Salima Rawji, Amar Singh, Sean Blake, Nicole Swerhun, Richard Whyte, and Leslie Woo.