This article is from the Australian Property Journal archive
CUSHMAN & Wakefield has created a national property financing and debt markets business and appointed Brad Nelson to lead the division, making the agency a one-stop shop.
Nelson joins C&W from commercial broking and debt advisory firm, Total Capital, where he was managing director. Prior to that, he held senior Australian and international roles with major financial institutions, including leading Standard Chartered’s global real estate debt business in Singapore, head of relationships at ING and Westpac’s institutional banking divisions, as well as lead EY’s NSW real estate advisory practice.
C&W Australia and New Zealand CEO James Patterson said the new business is in response to clients seeking to optimise asset purchases and debt management in a changing commercial lending market.
“The role will focus on supporting Cushman & Wakefield clients with acquisition financing, refinancing and restructuring of existing debt facilities.
“We continue to identify service areas across our business that will benefit new and existing clients as we rapidly build out an end-to-end real estate service platform in Australia. Brad has deep experience advising market participants on their debt and property financing requirements, and more than 20 years working in institutional and corporate banking roles,” he added.
Nelson said there is increasing client need for effective and efficient debt funding outcomes.
“The market is calling for debt arranging and advisory support to complement asset management and sales and investment services – crucial in an environment where the commercial lending market remains tight amid ongoing regulatory change.
“While the current regulatory environment is constraining the balance sheets of major lenders, activity is expected to remain strong amongst non-banks across both investment and development financing. We are witnessing a steadily increasing appetite in Australian commercial real estate assets from global debt funds and super funds, attracted to relative risk returns and seeking to balance their portfolios,” Nelson concluded.
Australian Property Journal
