Blackstone names Keenan real estate income trust CEO after LePatner’s fatal shooting

A sign for The Blackstone Group L.P. investment firm stands in front of their offices in New York. (AP Photo/Mark Lennihan, File)

Blackstone named insider Katie Keenan as the CEO of its real estate income trust and global head of the Core+ business, the company said on Friday, following the fatal shooting of the former head of the businesses in July.

Keenan has served in several leadership roles at the company in her tenure of over a decade. She is currently the global co-chief investment officer of Blackstone’s real estate debt strategies and CEO of mortgage trust.

She succeeds Wesley LePatner in both roles. LePatner was one of the four killed in July when a gunman opened fire in the lobby of Blackstone’s New York headquarters. Neither she nor Blackstone was specifically targeted.

Tim Johnson will occupy Keenan’s vacated real estate debt strategies role, Blackstone said.

The world’s largest alternative asset manager also named Zaneta Koplewicz as the co-president and director of the real estate income trust.

All changes will take effect November 10, except Keenan’s Core+ global head role, which is effective immediately.

The investment trust, called BREIT, has more than $100 billion in assets and is one of the largest real estate investment trusts (REIT) globally.

“BREIT is incredibly well-positioned and I am looking forward to working with the team to capitalize on the ongoing real estate recovery...,” Keenan said in a statement.

(Reporting by Pritam Biswas in Bengaluru; Editing by Leroy Leo and Sriraj Kalluvila)