Northleaf Capital Partners appointed Chris O’Connor managing director of business development for Australia and New Zealand. In this new role, O’Connor will lead Northleaf’s business development and investor relations activities and further develop relationships with institutional investors, consultants and advisors in the region. O’Connor joined Northleaf’s existing Melbourne-based investment team, extending the firm’s ongoing commitment to private market activities in Australia and New Zealand.
“We are thrilled to welcome Chris to the Northleaf team as our first Australia-based business development executive,” Jeff Pentland, managing director and head of business development at Northleaf Capital Partners, said. “Chris brings expertise in both relationship building and consultative fundraising, enhancing our capabilities to provide investors with access to highly differentiated mid-market infrastructure, private equity and private credit investments globally.”
Prior to joining Northleaf, O’Connor was managing director of business development at Queensland Investment, where he managed client and prospect relationships with institutional investors and asset consultants, covering the fund’s alternative asset class offerings. Previously, O’Connor was head of sales in the Asia Pacific region at Eze Software (now part of SS&C) in Sydney, Australia, where he progressed from vice president and head of European sales in London to launch the firm’s first Australian office and build out the Australian client base.
“I am excited to continue to develop Northleaf’s presence in Australia and to execute the firm’s focused client servicing strategy,” O’Connor said. “This is a unique opportunity to join a leading institutional asset manager with a compelling growth strategy and to enhance Northleaf’s position worldwide.”
