After 16 years with BlackRock, John Saunders has plans to leave the firm as the head of APAC real estate equity and take on a senior role with a real estate company in APAC, effective in February 2024.
Hamish MacDonald will succeed Saunders as head of APAC real estate equity, while retaining his role as CIO of APAC real estate equity.
Saunders’ career with the firm dates to 2007, when he joined MGPA, which merged with BlackRock in 2013. During his tenure, Saunders has created and led a high-performing investment team to raise and deploy capital through market cycles via the firm’s APAC Real Estate Value-Add Fund series, as well as separate mandates such as Asia Square in Singapore.
MacDonald will also become co-portfolio manager of all vintages in the APAC Real Estate Value-Add Fund series and join the global real estate executive committee. In addition, Stella Ju, who will report to MacDonald, will expand her existing portfolio management responsibilities t
