LaSalle Investment Management Names Global Wealth Head
The firm is prioritizing private wealth product development and regional growth as it scales its business for new investor segments.
Updated on Oct. 26, 2026 in People
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LaSalle Investment Management has appointed Michael Raso as global head of private wealth to lead product development and regional expansion. Raso, who joined the firm on October 26, 2026, will assume formal leadership of the Private Wealth Group on January 1, 2027.
Why it matters
The appointment signals that LaSalle is doubling down on private wealth as a core strategic priority, shifting its operational focus to build new investment products and capture market share in regional sectors.
LaSalle has established a dedicated global private wealth leadership role to manage strategic product development and regional market growth. The firm currently lists the Americas as the primary development region for its existing private wealth operations.
The players
LaSalle Investment Management
A global real estate investment manager that oversees assets for institutional and, increasingly, private wealth clients.
Michael Raso
The incoming global head of private wealth tasked with scaling the firm's product offerings and regional market presence.
Brad Gries
The CEO of LaSalle Investment Management responsible for firm-wide strategic direction and executive oversight.
Tim Kessler
The president and COO of LaSalle Investment Management who oversees firm operations alongside the CEO.
The details
Raso will oversee the firm's private wealth strategy, tasked with designing new investment products tailored to private investors rather than institutional clients. His mandate includes identifying business development opportunities across global regional markets, moving beyond the firm's current footprint in the Americas to expand the reach of the Private Wealth Group.
Timeline
October 26, 2026: Michael Raso joined LaSalle Investment Management.
January 1, 2027: Michael Raso will assume leadership of the Private Wealth Group and join the Global Management Committee.
Market Landscape
This move mirrors the industry-wide push to democratize access to private market assets by building out specialized wealth divisions. It marks a departure from a legacy focus on pure institutional mandates, following a wider trend toward capturing non-institutional capital pools.
Operators in the investment management space should track the firm's upcoming product rollout, as it may set a benchmark for competitive pricing and service models in private wealth. Firms should monitor for new market entry strategies as Raso begins the regional expansion phase in 2027.
The takeaway
The appointment of a global lead for private wealth indicates that LaSalle is standardizing its product offerings for individual investors to compete for non-institutional capital. Firms looking to compete in this space should prepare to evaluate their own private wealth product roadmaps against LaSalle's upcoming 2027 developments.
Further reading
For more on shifts in firm leadership and structure, visit our People section.
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