About Us
We structure innovative investment opportunities to deliver superior risk-adjusted returns to our investment and delivery partners alike. We do this by sourcing, structuring, managing and overseeing the operational functions of our investments to create value and mutually beneficial outcomes.
Occasio is a specialist, industry-leading property investment business. Our global experience means we can identify, structure and deliver superior risk-adjusted returns.
Our core values are:
→ Integrity
→ Sophistication
→ Reputation
→ Transparency
→ Respect
Occasio combines its comprehensive technical and financial experience with its desire to create and deliver sustainable success for our investment and delivery partners. We consistently provide unique arbitrage opportunities as a result of our extensive direct and active investment experience across various asset classes.
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Occasio’s relationships and reputation set us apart, and the number of clients and investors that return to Occasio is a testament to our model and the results we deliver.
Our Investment Philosophy
As an active investment manager focused on direct investment opportunities, Occasio offers investors access to superior risk-adjusted returns.
Investment principles
Occasio’s investment principles are guided by analysis and detailed research.
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At the portfolio and asset level, we deliver investment returns through:
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→ Strong, partnership-based approach with delivery partners to ensure alignment of interest. This means our clients have access to opportunities not typically available in the market.
→ Strategic asset allocation. This ensures diversification of investment exposure and returns.
→ Focusing on a risk-adjusted view on investment pricing and structuring at investment stage.
→ Ongoing risk mitigation and enhancing returns through active investment management.
→ Occasio co-investment in transaction opportunity demonstrates our integrity and belief in our investment.
Investment Origination
Occasio follows a disciplined process, albeit maintaining flexibility to structure bespoke investment transactions, which includes:
→ Research
→ Asset and sponsor selection
→ Technical due diligence
→ Identification of return enhancement opportunities
Occasio’s Expertise
Our diversity in experience results in better returns for our clients. The Occasio team’s complementary experience, skills and networks cover many different disciplines.
These include:
→ Active investment management
→ Risk management
→ Financial modelling and structuring
→ Project Delivery
→ Development management
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International experience across property and other industry sectors including:
→ Residential apartments
→ Land subdivision
→ Aged care
→ Retirement living
→ Commercial office
→ Industrial
→ Private equity
→ Infrastructure
→ Retail
→ Agri-business
→ Childcare
Get to Know Our Leadership Team
Ray Zelouf
Managing Director
Ray Zelouf has over 20 years’ experience in senior executive positions. Ray has led numerous property transactions totalling over $1Bn in value and covering over 1,000 dwellings. His diverse business knowledge with deep commercial acumen is complemented with experience across property, corporate finance and investments. Ray’s previous roles include being Chief Investment Officer at a leading Melbourne based property developer, Chief Operating Officer of ANZ Bank’s global corporate finance division, and leading a $1.6Bn funds management business.
Ray is a member of the UDIA finance and Taxation Committee.
Rodney Smorgon
Director
Rodney is the Managing Director of Smorgoncorp, a property development and investment company he established 26 years ago. Prior to this Rodney was a Director of Smorgon Consolidated Industries (SCI) a large family owned conglomerate involved in meat, paper, glass, PET and steel manufacturing, where his responsibilities included all of the SCI Group property interests.
Rodney has a number of other Directorships across a broad range of industry sectors.
Andrew Suttle
Director
Andrew Suttle has over 20 years experience in the property development and construction industry including various roles with consultants, construction contractors and property developers prior to establishing his own business. Along with Andrew Fortey, he established PDS Group in 2003. Andrew holds a degree in Construction Economics, a Graduate Diploma in Business Administration/ Management, a Graduate Diploma in Property and is a Registered Commercial Builder.
Andrew Fortey
Director
Andrew Fortey has over 20 years’ experience in the project and construction industry and is a founding Director of PDS Group. As a leader in his field, Andrew has a vast knowledge of delivery strategy including management of construction projects, contracts, methods of delivery, OH&S and administration. He has a Bachelor of Construction Economics, a Graduate Diploma in Property and is a registered Commercial and Domestic builder.
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Jason Lont
Investment Director
Jason has significant experience in real estate development, investment banking, consulting and corporate finance. He has worked with a diverse array of companies including Macquarie Group, APN Funds Management, PPB Advisory and most recently worked for Stockland in their Group Investments division. His foundations in economics and corporate finance, combined with a breadth of experience, has seen him develop a specialist skill set in real estate acquisitions and deal structuring with a key focus on risk identification and mitigation in development and income producing assets across residential, commercial, mixed use and retirement living opportunities.
Richard Struthers
Senior Capital Structuring Manager
Richard Struthers is a commercially astute property specialist with varied domestic and international property experience obtained through working with listed property funds in professional services (EY), as a commercial finance manager for a listed property developer and as a relationship manager in the specialist commercial property segment of ANZ. Richard brings a wide range of skills, including financial and property analysis, credit assessment and project and corporate strategy, holds a Bachelor of Science in Economics and is a Chartered Accountant.
Sam Tieu
Portfolio Analytics Manager
Sam has over 15 years’ experience in property development, funds management and insurance businesses, including MAB, ISPT, National Australia Bank and Medibank Private. Across these sectors, he has combined both technical and quantitative modelling skills to develop sophisticated decision-making algorithms to optimise investment outcomes. Sam holds a Bachelor of Science and MBA (Exec).
Prav Sivanantham
Capital Structuring Manager
Prav is a commercial property specialist with over 12 years’ professional experience in various facets of the banking sector both domestic and international. Prav has most recently worked at the Bank of Queensland as relationship manager in the corporate property segment, with previous roles held with the global investment Bank, Nomura International and within the corporate and property divisions at Bankwest. He holds a Bachelor of Biotechnology and an MBA.
Michael Stapleton
CFO
Michael spent 25 years with ANZ, lending money to small, medium and large businesses. In 2011 he left the banking sector and in 2012 established a Virtual CFO practice to use his financial knowledge, skills and experience to provide financial control and CFO services to owners of small and medium businesses. Michael holds a Bachelor of Commerce and has completed the CPA programme.
Jake Smorgon
Analyst
With experience at PDS Group, a start up small business and a family office, Jake brings a broad range of skills ranging from research and project management to business and client relations. Jake has a particular interest in the property sector and has had experience working on and managing large scale residential and commercial projects.
Jake holds a Bachelor of Arts (Hons) and a Master of Business (Property).
