Irishman takes Europe role at real estate giant
IRISHMAN Peter Collins is to lead US property firm Kennedy Wilson’s European operations following the appointment of Mary Ricks as president of the US-headquartered real estate giant’s global business.
In succeeding Ms Ricks as president of Kennedy Wilson Europe (KWE), Mr Collins will be charged with directing the company’s continuing expansion here and across the continent.
A former director of private banking and then director of asset management at Bank of Ireland, Mr Collins joined Kennedy Wilson following its acquisition of Bank of Ireland Real Estate Investment Management (BOI REIM) in 2011.
The deal represented Kennedy Wilson’s first purchase of an Irish and European business and immediately added some £1.8bn of assets to the company’s existing £5.8bn property portfolio.
Since being established in 2011, Kennedy Wilson Europe has invested more than €9bn (£8bn) in properties in Ireland, the UK, Spain and Italy.
The company’s major Irish assets are located mainly in Dublin and currently include the Shelbourne Hotel on St Stephen’s Green, the Clancy Quay apartment scheme in Kilmainham and major office developments at the Alto Vetro and Capital Dock in the Dublin Docklands, Baggot Plaza on Upper Baggot Street, and the Vantage and Chase buildings in Sandyford.