Natixis Adds Chris LaBianca From UBS to Lead Conduit Origination
By Andrew Coen February 9, 2024 4:37 pm
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Chris LaBianca, who spent nearly a decade heading up commercial real estate lending at UBS, has departed for a similar role at Natixis.
The Paris-headquartered bank announced Thursday that it had hired the industry veteran to lead commercial mortgage-backed securities (CMBS) conduit originations out of its New York office. LaBianca will work out of Natixis’ corporate and investment banking (CIB) division.
LaBianca was previously head of commercial mortgage originations at UBS, going back to 2013, and in 2022 was transferred from investment banking to lead CRE efforts in the bank’s wealth management division. UBS promoted Jeff Dortona and Bobby Wiginton as co-heads of originations in real estate finance 18 months ago to to fill LaBianca’s responsibilities.
“It’s an exciting time to be joining Natixis CIB,” LaBianca said in a statement. “We have assembled a team with deep industry experience.”
At UBS, LaBianca spearheaded lending efforts alongside David Nass, head of real estate finance. The pair were regular honorees on Commercial Observer’s Power Finance 50 list, executing $4.3 billion of originations in 2022.
Prior to UBS, LaBianca held roles at RCG Longview, Bank of America, Chase Manhattan Bank, Chemical Bank and Prudential.
Natixis also announced the hiring of David Kadin as a senior originator in its Los Angeles office. Kadin was previously head of debt for the Western U.S at Nuveen Real Estate for five years.
It also appointed Julie Han as head of underwriting and David Schwartz as head of portfolio lending.
Further details about the group’s new structure could not be immediately gleaned.
The company said the hires round out a “strategic reinforcement” of Natixis’ CRE platform that began to take shape in June 2022 with the addition of 30-year veteran Precilla Torres as head of real estate and hospitality of the Americas. It later appointed Chuck Lee as head of CMBS Americas.
“We are entering a new era of opportunity regarding our coverage of the real estate sector,” Thierry Bernard, Natixis CIB global head of real estate & hospitality, said in a statement. “The caliber of the talent that we have brought on board reflect our commitment to the space and to accelerating the growth of the business with continued investment.”
Officials at UBS did not immediately return a request for comment.
Andrew Coen can be reached at acoen@commercialobserver.com
