AXA Real Estate launches its US distribution platform, and appoints Elizabeth Behnke as Head of US Sales

AXA Real Estate Investment Managers (AXA Real Estate), the leading real estate manager in Europe and 2nd globally* with €38.2 billion of assets under management, today announced the opening of its new US distribution platform and the appointment of Elizabeth Behnke as a Head of US Sales.
Elizabeth will be responsible for leading fundraising and investor relations effort for AXA Real Estate in the United States.

Elizabeth has 25 years of real estate structuring, fundraising and investor relations experience. Her most recent position was V.P. of Investor Relations for Clerestory Capital in New York. Prior to that she was V.P. of Investor Relations for Starwood Capital Group.

Elizabeth has joined AXA Real Estate on June 14th, 2010 and reports to Kiran Patel, Global Head of Research, Strategy & Business Development. She is based in Greenwich, Connecticut, USA.

Kiran Patel commented: “AXA Real Estate is a profitable business generating stable and long term revenues. Our strategic objective is to become a global player in answering clients’ needs and staying focused on our core business of real estate advisory, fund, asset and development management. Elizabeth is our first hire for AXA Real Estate in the US. She will be instrumental in helping us grow our US client base, principally for our European opportunistic funds and for other product and separate account initiatives.”

Elizabeth Behnke declared: “AXA Real Estate has proven its strong resilience to the global economic crisis and is well positioned today to take a new step into the U.S market. I am delighted to be a part of this strategic initiative.”

Théo Dunoyer, Fund Manager at AXA Real Estate over the past six years in France, will join the US distribution team as US Consultants Relationship Manager. His experience of AXA Real Estate's investment management business will play a key role in supporting the fundraising effort, especially within the consultant industry.

* Source: INREV Survey 2009 published in June 2010

source : AXA Real Estate