LaSalle Taps HSBC’s Kern for CEO Americas Job
HSBC's loss will be LaSalle Investment Management's gain. LaSalle has snapped up Jason Kern, an HSBC managing director & head of the company's Asia-Pacific Real Estate & Lodging Advisory Group, to serve as LaSalle's new CEO of the Americas.
By Barbra Murray, Contributing Editor
Jason Kern
HSBC’s loss will be LaSalle Investment Management’s gain. LaSalle has snapped up Jason Kern, an HSBC managing director and head of the company’s Asia-Pacific Real Estate & Lodging Advisory Group, to serve as LaSalle’s new CEO, Americas. Peter Schaff, who announced last year that he would resign from the position, will officially hand over the reins to Kern July 1.
LaSalle conducted an expansive hunt for the right person to step into Schaff’s shoes. The company scanned the industry for an individual who could not only uphold LaSalle’s core competencies and values, but bring new skills to the table to guide the company as the real estate investment management industry continues its global expansion. Kern fits the bill.
Kern has spent the last three years at HSBC leading a team that advises clients in Asia on a range of real estate-related business, including IPOs, equity and bond issues, private equity raises, asset acquisitions and sales. All told, he has spearheaded activities with a total transaction volume of approximately $50 billion at HSBC.
To some, LaSalle’s selection of an expert in the Asian market to take on a role centering on the Americas may seem an odd move, but it isn’t. The choice is indicative of a LaSalle strategy.
“We have a strong, well-established platform for core and value-add investing in our home markets, mostly for investors based in North America [and] going forward, we want to add a greater connection to our businesses in Europe and Asia and to the global real estate capital markets,” a LaSalle spokesperson told Commercial Property Executive. “Jason will complement our deep North America leadership team by bringing a global perspective on real estate and first-hand experience advising many of the most important Asian institutional investors.”
Kern will have a helping hand transitioning into his new job, as Schaff will remain with the company part-time until the close of 2013 as North America Chairman.
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