Mary Ricks has been named president of global real estate investment company Kennedy Wilson with continued oversight of the company’s European operations as well as responsibility to help grow the investment portfolio. Additionally, she will have responsibility for raising global fee–bearing capital from third parties.
“Mary has been my partner at Kennedy Wilson for the last 28 years and her steady leadership, vision, and global management and investment experience have proven to be key ingredients in the success of the company,” said William McMorrow, chairman and CEO of Kennedy Wilson, who will continue in his current role. “This newly created position will take advantage of Mary’s outstanding skill set and have a major impact on the drive for growth across all of our global investment portfolios.”
Prior to her promotion, Ricks served as president and CEO of Kennedy Wilson Europe, a business she helped establish in 2011. Over the past seven years, she oversaw more than $10 billion in acquisitions across the United Kingdom, Ireland, Spain and Italy. Ricks currently serves on Kennedy Wilson’s board of directors as well as the company’s investment committee. She also served on the board of directors of Kennedy Wilson Europe Real Estate Plc., the London Stock Exchange–listed public company created in 2014 that was subsequently taken into 100 percent ownership by Kennedy Wilson in October 2017.
Concurrently, Peter Collins has assumed the role of president of Kennedy Wilson Europe, reporting to Ricks, with oversight of the company’s rapidly growing European business. Collins has more than 30 years of experience in financial services and the investment industry. He joined Kennedy Wilson when the company acquired the Bank of Ireland Real Estate Investment Management, where he was director of private banking and then director of asset management. Collins helped lead Kennedy Wilson’s entry into Ireland in 2011 and has served as COO for Kennedy Wilson Europe since 2015 Collins was appointed to the Kennedy Wilson Europe investment management board of directors in 2016.
