Investa

Investa appoints new CFO from within

Investa Property Group announces the appointment of Mrs Ming Long as the new CFO of the company. Ming will assume responsibility for the financial strategy of the group including treasury, debt and risk management, internal and external reporting, taxation as well as providing significant input to the strategic direction of Investa.

Ming has over 15 years experience in finance encompassing mergers and acquisitions, divestments, treasury, tax and financial reporting. She joined Investa in 2005 as Group Financial Controller while Investa was a listed entity and was also part of the management team at the time of the Morgan Stanley acquisition of Investa. As part of this acquisition, Ming was involved in the negotiation of new debt facilities for the Group.

Against the backdrop of a very difficult financial market this year, Ming was involved with the complex and lengthy successful negotiation of:
• an extension of a development facility with an Australian bank supporting the Group’s Land Development business;
• the refinancing of a syndicated bank facility, which included overseas lenders, on a portfolio of properties supporting the Commercial Office Group, and
• a new development facility with an Australian bank to finance the construction of Ark, 40 Mount Street, North Sydney, thought to be one of only two new development construction facilities negotiated this year in Australia.

Scott MacDonald, CEO of Investa confirmed: “Ming and I have worked together closely over the last several months on a number of strategic initiatives including the refinancing of 2 major portfolios and her performance has been exemplary.”

“Investa Property Group is very fortunate to have somebody of such talent, energy and commitment to fulfil this critical role. Our appointment of an internal candidate to the CFO position ensures Investa’s leadership team is further reinforced with experience and deep company knowledge. We continue with our focus on delivering innovative deals such as the Telstra leasing deal and sale of 33 Bligh Street to EnergyAustralia despite tough economic conditions.” MacDonald adds.

Ming has a Bachelor of Economics and a Bachelor of Laws from the University of Sydney. She also has a Masters of Business Administration and is a Chartered Accountant. Ming replaces Graham Monk who departed earlier this year after seven years as Investa’s CFO.


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For further information contact:
Investa Property Group
General Manager – Marketing, Katie Barton-Harvey
on 02 8226 9391 or 0427 234 862, kbarton-harvey@investa.com.au
investa.com.au

About Investa
Investa is one of Australia’s largest unlisted owners of commercial real estate. Headquartered in Sydney, Investa has management and development offices in Melbourne, Brisbane and Perth.

Since its inception in 2000, Investa has grown to control real estate assets of approximately AU$8.5 billion. In September 2007, Investa was purchased by funds managed by Morgan Stanley Real Estate (MSRE) and delisted from the Australian Securities Exchange.

Prior to its delisting as a public company in 2007, Investa was rated number one on the Dow Jones Sustainability World Index (DJSI World) in both the real estate sector and the financial services super-sector. Investa was one of only three Australian companies included in the Global 100 (G100) list of sustainable corporations announced at the 2007 World Economic Forum in Davos. In 2008, Investa won Australia’s most prestigious prize for addressing climate change, the Banksia Climate Change Award.

Investa has proven experience in three key business areas:

• Commercial Office Group
Investa boasts a fully integrated commercial real estate business. Investa buys, sells, owns, develops and manages high-quality office buildings in premier locations in Australia’s capitals. This end-to-end business model gives Investa the ability to ensure optimum quality and performance of its properties and its property services. Earlier this year Investa signed what is believed to be Australia’s largest leasing deal in the history of commercial office transactions for over 115,000m2 of office space with Telstra. Recently Investa also undertook the biggest development deal to be completed in Sydney this year with the sale of Kindersley House, 33 Bligh Street to EnergyAustralia.

• Funds Management
Investa manages a range of wholesale and retail funds on behalf of over 4,000 clients, who encompass institutions, superannuation funds, industry funds and retail investors. Funds under management are approximately AU$2.1 billion.

• Land Development
Investa undertakes commercial, industrial and residential development in select locations across Australia. Investa’s residential land developments encompass broad-acre subdivisions in New South Wales, Victoria, Queensland and Western Australia. Investa has a commercial, industrial and residential development pipeline with an estimated end value in excess of AU$4.3 billion.