JLL, India’s largest real estate consultancy firm, announced the appointment of Lata Pillai as Head of Capital Markets, India effective 15 July 2021. Based in Mumbai, Lata will advise domestic and international clients on investments and financing solutions in real estate.
Pillai will be responsible for leading a diverse team and driving strategy for the India Capital Markets business, which will include supporting growth in cross-regional capital flows and overseeing the asset management and strategic advisory business lines. As global investor interest within the sector continues to rise, she will additionally focus on enhancing the connectivity of the company's Capital Markets teams with investors in overseas markets.
Radha Dhir, CEO & Country Head, India, JLL said, “Investors continue to reinforce their confidence in Indian real estate and will increasingly demand local expertise paired with global insights. India remains an attractive destination for global capital and we believe it will continue to evolve and mature at a rapid pace in both core and emerging markets. Lata’s rich experience in real estate and finance paired with a strong network will provide a more diversified offering to our clients, thereby addressing their needs across range of asset classes and geographies.”
Investments into Indian real estate grew by 21 percent Y-o-Y during the first quarter of 2021, registering volumes of over $900 million. Furthermore, with over 285 million sq ft of REIT worthy office assets that could be securitised, with an estimated value of $36 billion across the top seven cities, JLL believes more REIT listings will be slated for 2022 and beyond.
“Investment in India’s commercial real estate market has increased more than fivefold in a decade. As markets reawaken, investors will look to take advantage of strong demographics and governmental reforms. Under Lata’s leadership, we're confident that our India Capital Markets team will thrive and be well placed to unlock opportunity for foreign investors and India owners and developers,” said Stuart Crow, CEO, Capital Markets, Asia Pacific, JLL.
Prior to joining JLL, Pillai worked at ICICI Bank, where she was instrumental in building its real estate finance desk. At Deutsche Bank, she was head of their Commercial Real Estate group. Pillai also brings experience from Edelweiss Financial Services and Yes Bank in senior leadership positions.
