Malcolm Naish to retire from Scottish Widows

Malcolm Naish is to retire from his job as head of real estate at Scottish Widows Investment Partnership (SWIP) next month.

Naish said he had “thoroughly enjoyed” his spell at SWIP which he joined in October 2007 but was “looking forward with relish to the next phase of my life”.

Naish has spent much of the last year overseeing the integration of £2.4bn of new property assets which SWIP Real Estate was awarded by the insurance division of parent Lloyds Banking Group.

In the process he expanded the Edinburgh-based real estate team from 30 to 50 people though only one appointment came from the previous manager of the seven portfolios, Invista REIM. SWIP has £8bn of assets under management and has been seeking to expand beyond its retail and life fund investor base into institutional fund management.

Naish has almost 40 years experience in property and investment management with firms such as Jones Lang Lasalle and DTZ. Dean Buckley, SWIPs managing director, said Naish had provided “insightful and considered council on all aspects of our business”.

SWIP added that an announcement about the management of the real estate business would be made at the end of June.

Jane Roberts, editor