Australian Unity appoints Chris Burnell to manage healthcare property trust

Australian Unity has appointed Chris Burnell to the role of portfolio manager for its $1.57 billion healthcare property trust (HPT).

Mr Burnell (pictured below) joins Australian Unity from Vicinity Centres where he was the finance manager – planning and analysis and previously acting financial controller for its wholesale funds business.

Mr Chris Smith, head of healthcare property at Australian Unity said Chris’s proven track record in financial management for multi-billion dollar investment funds and his valuable contribution to the delivery of business strategy are both skills that will support HPT in its next phase of growth.

Mr Burnell said he was attracted to the role at Australian Unity because of the organisation’s mutual not shareholder structure, its long-term focus and HPT’s long and impressive track record.

Prior to Vicinity, Mr Burnell was fund accountant for Colonial First State Global Asset Management. He is a member of the Chartered Accountants Australia and New Zealand and holds a Bachelor of Business in Accounting and Finance from the University of Technology, Sydney.

Mr Burnell commenced in the role on 8 April 2019.