Blackstone (NYSE: BX) announced the appointment of Katie Keenan as CEO and a director of Blackstone Real Estate Income Trust Inc. (BREIT) and global head of the Core+ Real Estate business. She succeeds Wesley M. LePatner, who served in both roles until she was murdered in a shooting at her Manhattan office building on July 28.
Keenan joined the firm in 2012 and currently serves as global co-chief investment officer of Blackstone Real Estate Debt Strategies and CEO of Blackstone Mortgage Trust Inc. (NYSE: BXMT).
“Thanks to the dedication of Wesley and many others, BREIT represents some of Blackstone’s finest work,” said Keenan. “Its strong performance is driven by a portfolio that is ~90% concentrated in sectors that are benefitting from long-term, secular megatrends, particularly data centers. BREIT is incredibly well-positioned and I am looking forward to working with the team to capitalize on the ongoing real estate recovery, with new supply falling sharply, the cost of debt capital coming down, and transaction activity picking up.”
Additionally, the company promoted Zaneta Koplewicz from BREIT’s head of shareholder relations to co-president and director of BREIT, serving with current co-president AJ Agarwal. BREIT’s Interim CEO Rob Harper will resume his long-time role as head of asset management.
Tim Johnson was appointed CEO of BXMT, succeeding Keenan. Austin Peña, currently executive vice president of investments at BXMT, has been named president and director and will continue leading the company’s investment, capital allocation, and balance sheet strategy.
