Goodbody appoints Colm Lauder to lead real estate research

Dublin-based stockbroker Goodbody has poached Irish man Colm Lauder from MSCI in London to lead its research coverage of the real estate sector.

This is part of a broader move by the broker to beef up its equity research for institutional clients. It recently recruited John Cronin and Cian Harty from Investec to bolster its financial services coverage, which is led by experienced analyst Eamonn Hughes.

Mr Lauder is expected to join Goodbody in October after a period of gardening leave. He will join its capital markets equity research team and will assume a role that was previously filled by Colm Foley, who is now head of investor relations at Iput plc, the Irish investment fund.

Mr Lauder will undertake research connected with property companies (Cairn Homes and Kennedy Wilson) and Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs), of which there are three listed in the Dublin market (Green, Hibernia and IRES).

He is also expected to expand Goodbody’s coverage into UK REITs, a similar strategy to that adopted by the Irish broker for banks, the food and beverage sector, gaming and leisure, construction, and airlines.

Real estate brokerage

It is understood that Goodbody is seeking to become the lead listed real estate broker in the Irish market. In the past, its real estate brokerage was done as a sub-sector, rather than with its own team. Mr Lauder will be a senior analyst working with Robert Eason, Goodbody's head of research.

He is currently vice-president of real estate at MSCI (Morgan Stanley Capital International) having joined it in 2011. He has spent about six years in the UK.

Mr Lauder has run MSCI’s overall Irish real estate business for a number of years. More recently he has taken on an EMEA (Europe, Middle East and Africa) research role and is considered a leading analyst for the UK market, with a high profile across the real estate sector.

He also played a role in the introduction of REITs into Ireland, authoring some key research pieces, and focusing on government engagement to ensure its inclusion in Budget 2012.

Mr Lauder is a graduate of both the Dublin Institute of Technology and Cambridge University.