Nicole Walker, chief commercial officer at H.R.L. Morrison & Co., will relocate to Singapore in January to head up a newly opened office there, confirmed Anthea Cudworth, the Sydney-based global infrastructure investment firm's communications director.
In addition, William Smales, Morrison's global head of private markets, has been named chief investment officer, taking on a previous title of Paul Newfield, who Morrison announced in July will become the company's third chief executive after Marko Bogoievski steps down at the end of 2021.
Ms. Cudworth said there are no plans to appoint a new global head of private markets. Mr. Smales will retain his prior responsibilities even as he takes on the task of ensuring a globally consistent approach to investment, asset management and sustainability.
Ms. Walker will lead the firm's global client activities from Singapore, "expanding and diversifying the firm's investor relationships," according to a news release from Morrison on Wednesday.
In other appointments, Peter Coman and Geoff Hutchinson were named co-heads of Morrison's Australia and New Zealand businesses, also replacing Mr. Newfield.
Mr. Hutchinson joined Morrison from Sydney-based private equity firm Pacific Equity Partners, where he served as a managing director. Mr. Coman, a 13-year Morrison veteran, has overseen the firm's infrastructure investments in Australia and New Zealand "in the social infrastructure, renewable energy, healthcare and transport sectors," the news release said.
Ms. Cudworth said the appointments come as the firm is enjoying strong growth, having announced on Nov. 23 the close of Morrison's new open-end global infrastructure investment fund, the Morrison & Co. Infrastructure Partnership, with more than $3 billion in commitments and co-investment capital.
The bulk of those commitments are coming from Australia superannuation funds, which have a growing appetite for infrastructure exposure overseas, giving Morrison added incentive to broaden the firm's global footprint, she said.
Morrison & Co. had funds under management of A$21 billion ($15.4 billion) as of Sept. 1, not counting the $3 billion just raised.
