Effective from 20 July, the move will see Nell work with Hermes Real Estate chief executive Chris Taylor to develop the business, alongside managing Hermes’ UK Private Rental Sector Fund, which is currently awaiting regulatory approval.
In the fallout from Nell’s departure, Aviva Investors has announced that Mike Luscombe will take over as lead manager on the Aviva Investors Property Trust.
Reporting to Ben Stirling, Aviva’s managing director of European direct real estate, Luscombe will work with AIPT co-manager Andrew Hook in a continuation of the fund’s existing strategy catering to retail clients.
Nell arrives at Hermes after spending16 years in Aviva’s UK and European real estate divisions, where he oversaw £1.9bn of property assets.
“We are extremely pleased to welcome Nell to Hermes,” Taylor said. “His wealth of knowledge and 20-plus years of industry experience will play an integral role in further growing our real estate business.”
Luscombe’s appointment represents a continuation of his 27-year Aviva career, the past 15 years of which he has overseen the running of the firm’s Linked Property Fund.