MetLife Investment Management named Andrea Drasites as global head of real estate and agricultural finance, effective Oct. 1. Drasites will join the firm from investment giant Blackstone Group, where she held several leadership positions over the past 13 years. She most recently served as a senior managing director in Blackstone's real estate group, after earlier roles at Equity One and Woolbright Development.
Drasites will report to Brian Funk, president of Whippany, New Jersey-based MetLife Investment Management, the institutional asset management business of insurer MetLife. She will lead the company's commercial mortgage and equity real estate portfolio, as well as its agricultural investments portfolio, the company said.
JLL expanded its operations in Charlotte, North Carolina, by hiring a five-person office agency leasing team from Foundry Commercial. Senior Managing Director John Ball will now lead JLL's agency leasing division in the region, it said.
Ball is joined by managing director Meredith Ball, executive vice presidents Eliza Gordon and Karah Tanneberger, and senior vice president Claiborne Mulhern.
Savills hired two 20-year industry veterans, Kelley Sigl as senior managing director and Frank Hartmann as managing director, for its Austin, Texas, office. Austin is a "priority market" for expansion by London-based Savills, according to Executive Managing Director and Austin market leader Erin Morales. Sigl held prior roles at JLL, Kinzer Partners, PitchBook Data and Washington Partners. Hartmann worked most recently as vice president of economic development at Opportunity Austin, leading efforts to attract technology, manufacturing and other business investment to the region.
Real estate investment and development firm Foxfield hired Jillian Alves as vice president of investor relations. Alves brings 10 years of experience, serving most recently as vice president of investor relations at Davis Cos. The Boston-based company also promoted Rob Caderas and Karl Dykstra to director of acquisitions, and Scott Tully Jr. to senior associate in acquisitions.
Baltimore-based St. John Properties promoted Scott Gifford to vice president of leasing in its Utah regional office in Pleasant Grove. The 20-year industry veteran joined St. John in 2019 and most recently served as assistant vice president of leasing, according to the real estate development and management company.
Marla Diliberto joined Partners Real Estate as chief marketing officer. The Houston-based company said Diliberto is formerly with CBRE, where she worked for over 15 years, most recently as global head of marketing transformation.
Gilbane Development appointed Mark Lawson as business development director in its Tampa, Florida, office. Lawson will focus on expanding Gilbane's regional and national portfolio of higher-education projects, the Providence, Rhode Island-based company said. He held prior real estate roles at the Board of Regents of the University System of Georgia, Kennesaw State University, Georgia State University and Deloitte.
Dayna Abdel rejoined real estate investment firm Passco Cos. as vice president of corporate marketing. The Irvine, California-based company said Abdel will lead all marketing and communications efforts for its national portfolio.
Abdel previously worked at Passco from 2020 to 2024, rejoining the firm from Essex Property Trust. She held earlier roles at Newmark Knight Frank and Colliers.