Aviva appoints head of real assets

Aviva Investors hires a head of real assets research which the firms local head says will benefit Australians looking to invest in Europe.

Aviva Investors has hired David Hedalen to run research into property energy and infrastructure assets.

As research head, Hedalen will provide strategic research leadership across the global asset management arm's £43 billion real assets platform.

Aviva Investors managing director of Australia Brett Jackson (pictured) said Hedalen brings a wealth of research experience and expertise, which will benefit Australian clients looking to invest in Europe.

Hedalen joins from abrdn where he spent 12 years analysing real assets in Europe.

He was most recently head of the UK and European Investment Strategy for real estate.

He has also held roles at Investment Property Databank and M&G Investments.

The new head of research is also co-chair of the European Association for Investors in the Non-Listed Real Estate Vehicles Asset Level Index and a member of the IPF Research Steering Committee.

"David's appointment sends a clear message about our ambition to further the growth of our real assets business in the UK and Europe whilst also continuing to provide our clients with the quality of investment thinking they have become accustomed to," said Daniel McHugh, head of real assets at Aviva Investors.

McHugh said Hedalen's expertise in developing research is critical to shaping the real assets research work around key investment trends and the firm's relative-value process.

His appointment will also shape the market and sector-level analysis that drives investment activity across the real assets platform.