Jaime Lee has left Jamison, the Los Angeles real estate powerhouse where she spent two decades, to join Kennedy Wilson as senior managing director of capital markets and investments. The move marks a significant shift for Lee, who recently stepped down from leading her family's development firm, one of the most prolific builders in the Los Angeles market.
Kennedy Wilson manages approximately $37 billion in assets across equity and debt platforms. The hire brings Lee's deep expertise in Los Angeles real estate development and capital strategy to a firm with substantial reach in the investment space.
Lee's departure from Jamison represents a generational transition at one of L.A.'s most recognizable development shops. Jamison has built extensive residential, commercial, and mixed-use projects throughout the region over decades. Her exit signals potential strategic shifts within the family office as the next generation weighs different opportunities.
At Kennedy Wilson, Lee will oversee capital markets and investment operations, positioning her to influence deal sourcing, underwriting, and capital deployment across the firm's portfolio. This role leverages her operational background with hands-on development experience, a combination relatively rare among pure capital markets professionals.
The timing reflects broader consolidation in Los Angeles real estate. Experienced operators with both development and capital markets knowledge command premium valuations in the job market. Kennedy Wilson's willingness to recruit at the senior managing director level underscores competitive pressure to secure top talent.
For investors in Kennedy Wilson funds, Lee's appointment signals confidence in sourcing and executing deals. Her Rolodex across Los Angeles development circles and institutional relationships carries real value. For Jamison, her departure leaves a leadership vacuum that the family must fill from within or recruit externally.
Lee's move also reflects changing dynamics in family office real estate. Rather than staying put indefinitely, next-generation leaders increasingly explore roles at larger platforms with different risk profiles and capital structures. Kennedy Wilson offers that platform