Macau firm appoints ex-Lehman analyst

Macau’s Sniper Capital has deepened its bench with the appointment of a former Lehman Brothers analyst.

Macau-focused real estate fund manager Sniper Capital has appointed Joyce Lo as head of corporate and investing strategy.

The firm announced today that Lo, who previously worked for Lehman Brothers, will join the Sniper team, based in Hong Kong.

Lo started her career in 1999 at Lehman Brothers as an investment banking analyst before moving to the bank’s private equity real estate business in 2005.  She has worked for the platform in both its Tokyo and Hong Kong offices and was responsible for investments across the Asia Pacific.

He appointment comes at a time of expansion for Sniper, founded by Tom Ashworth and Martin Tacon.  In August the firm launched its first private real estate fund, aiming to corral $100 million for non-gaming related real estate investments, particularly in the evening leisure sector. The fund will invest in small assets, typically freeholds valued at a between $1 million and $2 million.

Sniper also manages a London-listed fund called the Macau Properties Opportunities Fund. The fund this year emigrated to the senior London Stock Exchange after launching on its junior Alternative Investment Market (AIM), in June 2006. That vehicle is focused on larger investments in the residential and commercial real estate space.