Colonial are to second employees from its Australian offices to staff the establishment of transactions and capital projects teams for its London and New York offices.

The new teams, which will also include local hires, work with the investment management teams to secure new investment opportunities for the funds and mandates in the Property and Alternative Investments division, through corporate transactions in the institutional market.

"By combining the experience and culture of professionals from our Sydney office with professionals from local markets, we ensure that the business and investment philosophy of our teams is recreated for each local market," Colonial First State Global Asset Management head of the property and alternative investments division James O'Leary said.

Three Australians, Ed Lloyd, Ross Du Vernet and Grant Rayner are to join the newly established UK operation, to be headed up by UK national and former Merrill Lynch UK Investment Banking Group vice president Marcus Ayre.

Another Australian, Duane Cadman, has been appointed as director, transactions and capital projects, for its New York operation.

According to a spokesman for Colonial First State, more staff will be relocated overseas as the business grows.

"The location of the new team is a direct response to increased deal flow expected in Europe and, increasingly, in the United States," Colonial First State Global Asset Management Transactions and Capital Projects team global head Damian Rigney said.