AMP Capital is focusing attention on attracting clients on America’s West Coast, with the investment manager set for the opening of an office in Orange County, California, and the appointing of three staff to new roles.
The US was a main focus region for AMP Capital, which would seek to continue to build distribution capabilities across the country to better connect clients globally. The Orange County would open in February and add to AMP Capital’s existing North American offices in Chicago and New York.
Champlain Advisors vice president, Julia Szlakowski, has been appointed as an institutional director to lead distribution efforts for AMP Capital’s infrastructure debt and equity strategies across North America. Mark Miness, a former institutional marketing and consultant relations manager, would join AMP Capital in the position of institutional director, west coast Americas, and be based in San Francisco. Craig Watkins would take on the institutional director east coast position in New York, and focus on real asset capabilities and institutional investment. Watkins formerly worked at Cohen and Steers.
AMP Capital director north west region and global head of infrastructure equity, Boe Pahari, said the four recent US staff appointments would also help the company achieve its broader strategies for global growth.
“It’s a priority market for AMP Capital, and one where we see lots of opportunity for the expertise we bring across unlisted infrastructure, listed infrastructure and real estate asset classes,” he said.
“Building a specialist distribution team in North America is a key part of AMP Capital’s broader strategy and these appointments are a positive step towards delivering our global growth aspirations.”
