The Abu Dhabi Investment Authority hired one of Manulife Financial’s top executives to lead its Americas real estate unit as the US$1 trillion sovereign wealth fund seeks to expand its property portfolio in the US.

Pritesh Patel, previously chief investment officer at Manulife’s Americas Real Estate division, will join the Abu Dhabi fund this summer, replacing Gerald Fang who left in 2021, according to a person familiar with the matter, who asked not to be named as the information isn’t public. Patel previously held several senior roles at GE Capital Real Estate, according to his LinkedIn profile.

An ADIA spokesman confirmed Patel’s appointment.

Abu Dhabi’s biggest sovereign wealth fund has been pushing deeper into the US and real estate investments, tapping into opportunities brought on by the pandemic. The fund – with about US$993 billion assets, according to data provider Global SWF – has raised its target allocation range for North America to between 45 per cent and 60 per cent. In its 2021 annual review released in October, it said activity levels for real estate investments would remain high in 2022 and beyond, adding that the outlook for real estate was “attractive.”

The fund also participated in the take-private of logistics Reit Indus and last year announced two US student housing ventures.

As one of the world’s largest sovereign wealth funds, ADIA’s investment choices reverberate globally. The fund, which is overseen by powerful Abu Dhabi royal Sheikh Tahnoon Zayed Al Nahyan, in the aftermath of the Covid pandemic went through a series of internal reforms that changed the way it makes investment decisions.

A NEWSLETTER FOR YOU

Tuesday, 12 pm

Property Insights

Get an exclusive analysis of real estate and property news in Singapore and beyond.

Sign Up

Last year, Drew Goldman joined ADIA as head of global real estate. He was previously global head of investment banking coverage and M&A at Deutsche Bank in New York. BLOOMBERG