16 Jan 2019

The Association of Real Estate Funds (AREF) are pleased to announce the appointment of two new Directors to their Board; Rebecca Middleton, from DTZ Investors and Paolo Alonzi, from Aberdeen Standard Investments. As an investor, Rebecca has been a valuable and prominent member of AREF’s Corporate Governance Committee for the last two years. Paolo’s broad range of experience has been invaluable to AREF in his role as chair of the AREF Public Affairs Committee and as a member of AREF’s Management Committee over the last four years.

Meanwhile, Paul Dennis-Jones, PGIM Real Estate, has stepped down from the Board, after eight years as a director, two of which were as Chairman.
Deborah Lloyd, AREF Chairman, said, “We are delighted to welcome Rebecca and Paolo to the Board and believe both will bring fresh perspectives to our affairs, continuing their already high level of commitment to AREF. Whilst we are sad to see Paul go, he leaves with our grateful thanks for his significant contribution to AREF over the last eight years.”

Notes to Editors
For media enquiries: Ed Protheroe 07867 796259

 

Biographies


Rebecca Middleton joined DTZ Investors in 2007 on secondment during her university placement year before returning to work for DTZ Investors after graduating in 2009. Rebecca manages investments into both listed and unlisted indirect real estate on both a discretionary and advisory basis for a range of clients, predominantly in the UK. She has a BSc (Hons) Economics, from the University of Surrey and is a holder of the Investment Management Certificate (IMC).


Paolo Alonzi is Global Head of Real Estate Business Finance and Strategy at Aberdeen Standard Investments (ASI).  Paolo is a member of the Real Estate Investment Management Committee at ASI contributing to the development and delivery of the firm’s real estate business strategy, providing management and financial oversight and discipline to support the efficiency, effectiveness and scalability of the firm’s global real estate business.  Paolo also has a significant role in leading the development and delivery of the firm’s real estate product solutions. He is a qualified Chartered Accountant.
 
About the Association of Real Estate Funds:

The Association of Real Estate Funds (AREF) is the body that represents the interests of its member funds, those firms that advise and support them, and the end customers that invest in our member funds.

Our membership includes over sixty-five funds spanning the leading real estate fund management houses in the industry, through to smaller, specialist boutiques, with a collective net asset value of over £72bn (at 30 Sept 2018). In addition, we have more than fifty Affiliate members and a number of Associate members.

We are recognised by policy makers, regulators, tax authorities and other official organisations as the leading spokesperson for real estate funds, so through bringing all stakeholders together we have the ability to influence the way our industry evolves.