Ashi Mathur is the new president at Toronto-based Marlin Spring. (Courtesy Marlin Spring)

Toronto real estate investment firm Marlin Spring has hired Ashi Mathur as its new president. Mathur has over 25 years of experience in investment banking and the real estate industry.

He moved to Marlin Spring from BMO Capital Markets. For the past 18 years, he held various executive positions at BMO including deputy head of investment banking, head of North American real estate, CEO of the BRE Private Equity Fund and chair of BMO Capital Markets Merchant Bank. He also served on BMO Capital Markets’ executive committee, which established the strategic direction and had oversight of the investment banking and trading products groups.

Prior to joining BMO Capital Markets, he provided merger and acquisition advisory services to a global client base at N.M Rothschilds & Sons. He worked at Ernst & Young, where he qualified as a CPA after graduating from the University of Waterloo with bachelor’s and masters’ degrees in accounting.

“(Mathur’s) deep commitment to the real estate industry and his extensive capital markets and management experience, will benefit us as we continue to pursue our growth ambitions in the North American markets,” said Marlin Spring CEO Ben Bakst in a release. “His considerable management experience further strengthens our fully integrated real estate platform to further solidify the institutionalization of Marlin Spring.”

Mathur also joins Marlin Spring’s Management Committee which has oversight of the firm’s overall operations.

His primary focus is to lead corporate strategy initiatives as Marlin Spring aims to expand its North American multifamily and development business and pursue new asset classes via acquisitions and partnerships.

Marlin Spring’s portfolio of over eight million square feet of residential GFA has an estimated completion value of over $4.3 billion.

Vincett heads Colliers’ Toronto North office

Colliers International (CIGI-T) announced the hiring of Peter Vincett as managing director of Colliers’ Toronto North office.

Vincett comes to Colliers after having spent 12 years with Stericycle, a global regulated and compliance solutions company focusing on the healthcare, retail and commercial businesses. After working in increasingly senior roles with Stericycle, Vincett most recently served as vice-president of Canada sales and expert operations.

“I’m thrilled to be joining the accomplished team at Toronto North and to be bringing my unique international experience combined with extensive general management experience to build on our strong relationships within the commercial real estate industry,” Vincent said in a release.

In his role as managing director, Vincett will lead the private sales group in the Toronto North office, driving employee engagement and maintaining and establishing strategic relationships.

“Peter has a proven track record of developing high-performing leadership teams that consistently generate strong growth,” said Scott Addison, president, brokerage at Colliers Canada, in the release. “His experience in the healthcare industry gives him a fresh perspective to our business.”

Colliers has operations in 68 countries, about 14,000 employees and $26 billion of assets under management.

OPPI names Giancola new president

Justine Giancola, president of the Ontario Professional Planners Institute. (Courtesy OPPI)

The Ontario Professional Planners Institute (OPPI) has announced Justine Giancola, RPP, as its new president. Giancola is an associate, client relationship manager, and senior project manager with Dillon Consulting Limited’s Kitchener office.

The announcement took place at OPPI’s 2019 Annual General Meeting during OPPI19: Beyond25, the institute’s annual educational and networking event in Ontario.

“Our RPP members play an important role in communities across Ontario by being the experts decision-makers turn to when informing local choices and inspiring communities, and I am honoured to be leading OPPI as president during this critical time for the planning profession in Ontario,” said Giancola in a release.

Giancola has been with Dillon Consulting Limited for 10 years and leads many internal and external initiatives across Ontario.

Gray new president of IREM

The Real Estate Institute of Canada has installed Cheryl Ann Gray, CPM, as its 2020 IREM president. Gray, the first Canadian and first non-U.S. member to become IREM president, was inaugurated during the 2019 IREM Global Summit in San Francisco.

“This is exciting news for Canadian property and asset managers as well as members of the Institute, as we see dedicated professionals in our community recognized on a global scale,” said REIC CEO Stephen Ashworth in a release.

Gray is the head of special projects, operational excellence at QuadReal Property Group. Before joining QuadReal, she held several leadership positions at Bentall Kennedy.

She holds a bachelor’s degree in economics from the University of Waterloo and earned her certified property manager designation in 1990. She is an REIC Emeritus, the highest honour presented to its members, and has served as REIC National Board Director and IREM regional vice-president for Canada.

REIC is a not-for-profit membership organization dedicated to advancing education and professionalism in the real estate industry.

Global executive promotions at CBRE

Chris Connelly has been appointed CEO of advisory services for the Americas at CBRE. (Courtesy CBRE)

CBRE has appointed Chris Connelly CEO of advisory services for the Americas and promoted Emma Buckland as global president of property management, the position previously held by Connelly.

Connelly will oversee more than 18,000 employees across the capital markets, advisory and transaction services, advisory project management, property management and valuations business lines in the U.S., Canada and Latin America.

He has been with CBRE for 15 years serving as president of the Americas Mountain-Northwest Division, president of the Midwest Division, and executive managing director of the Chicago region.

Before joining CBRE in 2016, Buckland was the leader of Europe, Middle East and Africa operations for FICO. Prior to this promotion, she led CBRE’s property management division in the United Kingdom.

In her new role, Buckland will oversee the property management sector, a global business that includes a portfolio of more than 2.7 billion square feet.

Delma Group appoints CFO, board members

Real estate investment firm Delma Group Inc. (DLMA) has a new name, a new CFO and a newly elected board. The company, which will be known as Émergia Inc, appointed Henri Petit, Hubert Marleau, François Castonguay, Joseph Cianci, Guy Charette and Michael Kosub as directors and Yves Séguin as director and chairman of the board.

The board then appointed 20-year industry veteran Bruno Dumais as chief financial officer. He has led large teams through significant corporate transactions, including mergers and acquisitions, financings and other restructuring transactions during his career.

Dumais was previously CFO of Maya Gold & Silver, a Moroccan producer of silver, CFO for KDA Group Inc. and CFO and vice-president, finance of Mitec Telecom Inc. He is a CPA and holds a bachelor of business administration degree from Université of Québec at Rimouski and an International MBA from the University of Ottawa.

Cressaty re-elected Canada East SIOR president

Robert Cressaty, president AND managing partner at Landmark Advisory Services, has been re-elected president of the Society of Industrial and Office Realtors Canada East Chapter. SIOR is the leading global professional industrial and office real estate association.

Cressaty has two decades of experience in both landlord and tenant representation positions.

He has been a SIOR member since 2009 and president of the Canada East Chapter since 2016. He will actively contribute to the organization of the SIOR Spring World Conference, which will be held for the first time in Montreal in May 2020.