Railpen appoints Maria Averkina as Asset and Development Manager

Railpen, the investment manager responsible for the safekeeping and administration of over £37 billion AUM for several pension schemes, has announced the appointment of Maria Averkina as Asset and Development Manager. Maria will asset manage and devise bespoke development strategies across Railpen’s diverse portfolio, delivering Railpen’s strategy of creating clusters of high-quality assets with strong sustainability credentials in locations with the opportunity to drive rental growth. 

Maria joins Railpen following six years at British Land, beginning as an analyst whilst completing her MBA before moving into the development team. With both Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in architecture, Maria has moved into the management and development side of the built environment as part of her new role. 

Maria’s career highlights include winning a secondment with Cushman and Wakefield in Singapore and Hong Kong as well as working across various British Land departments. In her new role at Railpen, Maria will bring her experience and expertise to bear across retail, office, industrial and life sciences assets, as well as investment. 

Matthew Howard, Head of Property Asset Management at Railpen, commented: “We are pleased to welcome Maria to Railpen as Asset and Development Manager and are confident she will contribute significantly to the business. With a strong track record, Maria is well equipped to  tackle challenges and maximise opportunities in the built environment, delivering value to our investments and members.” 

Maria Averkina, Asset and Development Manager at Railpen, added: “I’m proud to have joined Railpen given its significant success in curating such quality assets and focus on an ESG-led strategy to enhance its portfolio for members. This is a very exciting role for me, and I look forward to achieving new value-driven benchmarks within the property industry.”

Railpen’s property portfolio of strong, economically relevant assets includes a range of London-based and regional developments, from retail and leisure centres to a number of offices, residential developments and industrial sites around the UK. The company’s asset management strategy is focused on delivering superior risk-adjusted returns for members and making a positive contribution to the communities of which its assets are part.