Lynn leaves Clarion Partners

David Lynn, managing director and head of research and investment strategy at Clarion Partners, has left the firm, PERE has learned. 

Sources familiar with the matter have revealed that Lynn resigned from the New York-based investment firm at the end of April for personal reasons. “He wanted to pursue other opportunities,” said one source. Lynn and representatives from Clarion declined to comment.  

Taking over Lynn’s responsibilities is Tim Wang, senior vice president for Clarion’s research and investment strategy group. Wang has been with the firm for the past six years and has been second-in-command of the research team for the past five years.

Lynn has been with Clarion for five years, having joined in 2007 when the firm was part of ING Real Estate Investment Management. As head of research and investment strategy, he defined the firm’s portfolio investment strategy and played a role in its product development initiatives, ranging from new opportunistic funds to new markets and business strategies. He also was a member of Clarion’s investment and operating committees. 

In a special interview with PERE in 2010, Lynn advised that institutional investors – and GPs – could no longer “put their heads in the sand” and ignore the growth being experienced in China, Brazil and India. “If you ignore the growth stories of these economies, you do so at your peril, sacrificing returns and diversification in the process.”

Lynn and Wang co-authored the book, Emerging Market Real Estate Investing: Investing in China, India and Brazil. Lynn also penned Active Private Equity Real Estate Strategy, published by John Wiley & Sons, as well as Real Estate Mathematics, which is published by PEI Media.

Prior to joining Clarion, Lynn was managing director, global chief strategist and economist at AIG Global Real Estate, the real estate investment management division of American International Group.