SINGAPORE (THE BUSINESS TIMES) - Australian property giant Lendlease, which manages Singapore-listed Lendlease Global Commercial Reit, has appointed Mr Justin Gabbani as its Asia chief executive officer, effective June 1.
Based in Singapore, Mr Gabbani will take over from Mr Tony Lombardo, who was appointed group CEO-designate in February, the real estate and infrastructure group said on Thursday (April 8).
Outgoing group CEO Steve McCann will retire from Lendlease's board on May 31, after a 16-year career with the group, including more than 12 years as group CEO and managing director.
Mr Gabbani was most recently Lendlease's chief financial officer for Asia, where he was responsible for key functions across the region, including finance, investment and capital markets, research, and strategy. Lendlease said a selection process is under way for his successor.
Before the CFO role, he was head of investment and capital markets for Asia and Europe, and previously held various roles in the investment management and development businesses. He joined Lendlease in 2003.
Mr Lombardo said: "Justin has been based in Singapore since 2011 and is well-credentialed to lead our Asia business as we progress a range of significant opportunities across the region."
The group CEO-designate joined Lendlease in 2007 as group head of strategy and mergers and acquisitions. In 2011, he was appointed group CFO and later Asia CEO in 2016.
As Asia CEO, Mr Lombardo spearheaded a number of major initiatives to drive future growth. This included the completion of the $3.7 billion mixed-use development Paya Lebar Quarter in Singapore, the establishment of a US$1 billion (S$1.34 billion) data centre joint venture with a large institutional investor, and the listing of Lendlease Global Reit on the Singapore Exchange in 2019.
The group on Thursday said it has also appointed Ms Deborah Yates as its chief people officer, based in Sydney. She will start her new role on July 1.
Ms Yates' appointment follows the resignation of Mr Alex Christie, Lendlease's group head of people and culture. At present, she is KPMG's national managing partner for people and corporate affairs.
Before KPMG, Ms Yates was chief human resources officer at British multinational consumer goods company Reckitt Benckiser. She has 25 years of experience in all areas of human resources, Lendlease said.
"Deb's strong track record in working alongside people to develop their skills and capabilities, as well as driving inclusion and diversity, makes her well-placed to make a significant contribution to our 9,500-strong global workforce," said Mr Lombardo.
