ING vet leaves after 21 years

Churn continues at ING Real Estate Investment Managers as longstanding UK professional departs the Dutch firm.

ING Real Estate Investment Managers (ING REIM), one of the largest property managers in the world, has announced that longstanding UK professional Nicholas Gill is stepping down.

Gill has been with the firm for 21 years, ING REIM said, most recently as co-head of the group’s value-add investment team. Prior to that, he spent 14 years as head of acquisitions and development of the UK business.

He said in a statement that now was the right time to move on and “concentrate on new challenges”. “After a short break, I will be returning to the market at a very exciting and interesting time,” he added. He will leave the firm next month.

Kevin Aitchison, chief executive of ING REIM in the UK, paid tribute to his colleague, calling his contribution “huge.”

Gill was one of the original shareholders of Baring, Houston & Saunders, which ING took over in 1995.

His departure coincides with a raft of personnel changes In recent times. ING has been cutting costs as it reacts to the global downturn and two global chief executives of ING REIM has left in the space of a year. David Blight returned to Australia for family reasons last June. His replacement, Robert Houston, stepped down this summer.