Former Almacantar chief operating officer joins Birchwood

Former Almacantar chief operating officer Matthew Filkin has joined Birchwood Real Estate Capital as managing director for fund and asset management.  While best known for his time at Almacantar, Filkin also worked in impact investment fund management. He previously spent four years at Brookfield Asset Management as general counsel.  Birchwood founder Lorna Brown said Filkin’s expertise would enable the firm to take advantage of opportunities arising from this point in the cycle, in terms of distress, capex and implementing operational real estate strategies.  Filkin said: “Birchwood has an amazing team and the opportunity to be part of another growth story with Lorna at the helm was too good to turn down. The appeal of the firm is being able to work across many asset classes, disciplines and situations which, together with our experience as borrowers on the equity side, offers crucial benefits to both our clients and our investors.” He added: “Working within Almacantar and helping it grow from 12 people and two assets to 45 people and £2bn of assets was an enjoyable and inspirational period where I learned an immense amount being part of a market-leading team. Joining a new platform and moving into a period of huge financing opportunities within the sector will be equally exciting and challenging.  “Growing transaction volumes in retail, a revival in some parts of the office market and a growing wall of capital targeting alternatives have created a huge pipeline of opportunities for Birchwood and I am confident that an increasing number of occupier-led strategies will drive value across the sector and should see more assets begin to trade during the second half of this year.” Brown said: “Despite being a relatively young business, we have an incredibly experienced team that benefits from no legacy book yet an incredible track record of working with major players across every asset class. Matt’s addition to the senior management team broadens that mix and we are lucky to have him on board.  “In an environment where so many developments are operational and mixed-use, and in a landscape filled with so much uncertainty driven by both macro and sectoral factors, being able to collaborate closely with our clients – bringing our own client-side experience to the table – is an important USP that has allowed us to successfully deploy capital in a challenging market.” Birchwood was founded by Brown, who is a former Blackstone, L&G and Delancey executive, in 2022. The firm has been backed by WR Berkley, a Fortune 500 insurance company. The news comes after Birchwood hired Libby Thelwall from L&G as a director in November last year.