Aviva Investors appoints head of real assets research

Oksana Patron

15 December 2022

Aviva Investors has announced the appointment of David Hedalen as its new head of real assets research.

In his new role, he would be responsible for providing strategic research leadership across the full breadth of Aviva Investors’ £43 billion Real Assets platform ensuring research continues to play a critical role in informing and shaping the firm’s investment decisions and delivery of its commercial strategy, the firm said.

He would be based in London and report to Melanie Collett, managing director, asset management, real assets, at Aviva Investors.

Hedalen joined Aviva Investors with over 15 years’ experience in UK and European real assets research, most recently spending 12 years at abrdn where he was Head of UK and European Investment Strategy for Real Estate.

He also held roles at Investment Property Databank (IPD) and M&G Investments.

Hedalen is also co-chair of the European Association for Investors in Non-Listed Real Estate Vehicles (INREV) Asset Level Index, and a member of the IPF Research Steering Committee.

“David’s appointment sends a clear message about our ambition to further the growth our Real Assets business in the UK and Europe, whilst also continuing to provide our clients with the quality of investment thinking they have become accustomed to. We are delighted to attract someone of his calibre into a role which will be key in delivering on those objectives,” Daniel McHugh, chief investment officer, real assets, Aviva Investors, said.