International property developer and investor Kajima Partnerships has appointed Dwayne McAleer as managing director of Kajima Ireland, based in Dublin.

McAleer will lead Kajima’s activity in financing and developing projects across the healthcare sector, including hospitals, community care and elderly living, in the Republic and Northern Ireland.

He was formerly a senior executive of Ireland’s National Development Finance Agency and more recently the Land Development Agency. With three decades of experience in the Irish market, he has a strong background in unlocking state-owned land for investment, in partnership with both public and private landowners, as well as in the procurement, financing, construction and operation of large-scale private finance development.

Recent projects he has overseen include the Shanganagh development in Dublin, Ireland’s first large-scale residential development consisting of 100% social and affordable build to rent properties, where he secured investment readiness for the project including planning permission.

McAleer also played a central role in the regulation and delivery of the new third level education and healthcare campus at Grangegorman in Dublin, including large, complex and bespoke public facing buildings. McAleer has developed a significant programme of regional sites in Ireland on a bundled basis and has international experience operating in private consultancy, specialising in feasibility and viability analysis.

McAleer said: “I am delighted to be joining Kajima and look forward to strengthening its Irish operations and growing the team here. Kajima has a wealth of international experience and expertise in social infrastructure and a well-deserved reputation for delivering high-quality projects in tandem with public and private partners. Part of my role is also to help build up the funding capacity in the market, which already includes many established institutions, to further enhance deal flow. I have no doubt that this new base for Kajima Partnerships will have a transformative impact on the Irish market.”

Kirk Taylor, managing director at Kajima Partnerships, added: “We are delighted to have Dwayne join Kajima Partnerships and leading the positive impact we hope to have on the property sector in Ireland. With a record of successful PPP and third-party developer projects in the country, we are now increasing our focus on both public and private developments and investment in Ireland’s healthcare and residential sectors.”