ARA Asset Management has appointed David Blight as chief investment officer of its private funds division, ARA Private Funds. The appointment follows ARA’s recent acquisition by ESR Group in a landmark deal creating one of the largest real estate managers with combined assets under management of over US$140 billion.

ARA Private Funds is led by Moses Song, ARA chief executive officer, in partnership with Blight in his new role. Blight, who was chairman and CEO of the ING Real Estate Investment Management global platform between 2005 and 2008, has been CEO of ARA Australia since co-founding it in 2015. ARA Australia is now a multibillion-dollar platform and its portfolio includes the iconic Southgate Complex in Melbourne and the recently refurbished 320 Pitt Street in Sydney.

Song comments: “As ARA Private Funds prepares to enter its next phase of growth, our leadership team will be resolutely focused on investment performance, client service and maintaining our team culture. With the scale, capabilities and resources of the enlarged ESR Group and the deep bench strength of talent within our ranks, the platform is superbly positioned to capture the opportunities arising out of the largest secular trends in APAC real estate.”

ESR Group chairman Jeffrey Perlman adds: “We have been planning for a seamless business and operational integration since the acquisition announcement last year, seeking synergies within the enlarged platform to accelerate the growth of the business as we scale up to provide a full suite of new-economy real estate development products and real asset investment solutions for our investors.”