Japan veteran Smith to leave Deutsche Bank

Douglas Smith, Deutsche Bank’s head of commercial real estate in Japan has tendered his resignation to pursue other opportunities.

The bank has appointed a successor, PERE understands, who will be named after Smith’s last day on April 28.

Smith is one of the best known figures in Japanese real estate having worked in the country for more than 20 years.

He joined Deutsche in April 2007 from Shinsei Bank where he spent nine years and was head of real estate finance. Before that he was at Nomura Real Estate, where he established its real estate investment funds business, including forming a joint venture with Starwood Capital.