Aviva Investors, the global asset management business of Aviva PLC, established a real assets unit, which will cover direct real estate, infrastructure, structured finance and private debt.
Mark Versey will serve as the unit's chief investment officer, while Barry Fowler, Daniel McHugh and David Skinner will serve as managing director for alternative income, real estate investments and real estate strategy and fund management, respectively. Chris Urwin will also become director of research.
Versey will lead a team of 300 people across five locations — London and Norwich in the U.K., Paris, Frankfurt and Toronto — covering fund management, asset management, asset origination, underwriting, research and business management.
Aviva Investors also agreed to sell real estate multi-manager business and its interest in Encore+ to LaSalle Investment Management. The global asset management unit operates in 15 countries, with an AUM amounting to £353 billion as of 2017-end.
