LASALLE Investment Management has appointed Keith Fujii as CEO and president of Japan, effective March 01 2018. Based in Tokyo, Fujii will lead the LaSalle platform for investments in core-oriented strategies in Japan. He will become representative director and president of LaSalle Investment Management K.K., and join the board of directors at LaSalle REIT Advisors K.K, asset manager to the firm's Japan logistics REIT, LaSalle Logiport REIT.

Fujii has a distinguished background in Asia, bringing with him over 25 years of real estate investment and banking experience building profitable real estate businesses at Bank of America Merrill Lynch, Grove International Partners and Shinsei Bank. He joins LaSalle Investment Management from Ishin Hotel Group, where he was chief executive officer.

Mark Gabbay, CEO and CIO – Asia-Pacific, LaSalle Investment Management, says: “Keith has a deep understanding of the Japanese real estate market, and is a strong leader with successful experience managing large teams to achieve their investment goals. With about US$5 billion of our regional AUM located in Japan, and a significant source of LaSalle Global Securities’ capital coming from the domestic market, Japan is an important and growing part of our business. Keith's joining will strengthen LaSalle's regional leadership as we further expand our core platform and diversify across asset types in Japan.”

The current Japan CEO, Yas Nakashima, will continue to be a representative director of LaSalle Investment Management K.K. and will also continue to support LaSalle’s highly successful Japan logistics platform.

Jeff Jacobson, Global CEO, LaSalle Investment Management, adds: “Yas was an early pioneer in the establishment of Japanese logistics as an institutional asset class. With his team, they have delivered exceptional returns in development and investment in Japanese logistics over the past 15 years with the Japan Logistics Fund (JLF) series. We hope to leverage off his logistics experience in Japan as we grow our platform regionally and perhaps globally in the space.”

Yas will also be replaced on the board of LaSalle REIT Advisors K.K. by Keith Fujii. Gabbay adds, “I look forward to Yas’ continued presence and support on the LaSalle Asia Investment Committee, as well as his focus on new investment and business development opportunities both in Japan and across borders. I also look forward to Keith and Yas working together to significantly broaden LaSalle Japan’s platform, and to grow investment opportunities in the core space.”