ASX-listed MA Financial Group has announced the appointment of Anthony Habis as managing director, as well as head of real estate partnerships in its asset management division.
Mr Habis will be responsible for building on the firm’s global institutional investor relationships in the real estate sector, focusing particularly on the Middle East region, MA Financial confirmed in a statement on Monday.
He joins the alternatives asset manager from Bank of New York Mellon, where he was managing director and global head of client coverage asset servicing, and before this, was based in Dubai as head of Middle East and Africa.
Prior to this, Mr Habis was a managing director at Citi’s Institutional Client Group and held several senior roles, including head of global family office, Middle East and North Africa, and head of private bank, Saudi Arabia and United Arab Emirates.
Speaking on the division’s latest addition, head of MA Asset Management, Andrew Martin said: “We’re delighted to welcome Anthony to MA Financial. Anthony is a proven leader and brings 26 years of experience in global capital origination and coverage, serving the investment needs of leading global investors.
“Anthony’s combined experience across the Middle East, Africa, Europe, and North America will strengthen our capability and help accelerate our growth plans and ambitions for these important regions.”
According to Mr Martin, Mr Habis will work alongside MA’s head of institutional capital, Mike Pyke, and the firm’s investment teams to implement an institutional client strategy and bring the firm’s full suite of alternative asset capabilities to global investors.
“We are particularly excited about Anthony’s deep insights and senior relationships in the Middle East where there is growing appetite to invest in alternative assets and private market investments in Australia and globally,” he added.
“I am delighted to be joining MA Financial, a firm with a demonstrable track record in partnering with specialist operators to invest in globally aligned growth trends and sectors,” Mr Habis commented on his appointment.
“There is significant interest in MA’s capabilities in real estate and other alternative asset classes in the region,” he concluded.
MA Financial Group has $8.4 billion in assets under management, as of May 2023, and employs over 600 people in Australia, China, Hong Kong, Singapore, and the US.