Mouchakkaa joins MSREI as global research head

Paul Mouchakkaa

Paul Mouchakkaa, managing director of real estate consulting services at Pension Consulting Alliance (PCA), is leaving the investment consulting firm to join Morgan Stanley Real Estate Investing (MSREI) to head up its global research and strategy efforts.

Although both Morgan Stanley and Mouchakkaa declined to comment, a source familiar with the situation told PERE that Mouchakkaa will be joining MSREI as global head of research and strategy, a new position. He will be joining the firm in November. 

In a statement released on Wednesday, PCA founder and managing director Allan Emkin said: “We wish Paul well on his new opportunity and know that Morgan Stanley’s clients will benefit from his tenacity, knowledge and views on property investing. We have enjoyed our professional and personal relationships with Paul and look forward to continuing them.” 

Mouchakkaa rejoined PCA in March 2009 as a managing director of real estate consulting services and worked out of the firm's Irvine, California office. Prior to rejoining PCA, he served as a portfolio manager for real estate at the California Public Employees' Retirement System (CalPERS), where he oversaw the research, operations and analytics for the giant pension plan’s entire real estate portfolio. At CalPERS, he supervised 15 members of the pension’s internal real estate staff. 

Prior to CalPERS, Mouchakkaa was again at PCA, where he served as a vice president from 2005 to 2007. During that time, he performed due diligence on real estate opportunities, conducted investment and market research and prepared strategic investment plans and policies for institutional investors.

News of Mouchakkaa's hiring follows the recent departures at Morgan Stanley of Robert Weaver to TPG Capital and Hugh Macdonnell to Clarion Partners.