Founder,
Executive Chairman,
Non-Executive Director,
Commentator.
Who is Joe Gersh?
Joseph (Joe) Gersh AM is a Melbourne based businessman and lawyer who has devoted his life to serving his clients and the community.
Joe’s strategic acumen has seen him become a trusted advisor to and director of some of Australia’s largest private and listed companies, as well as the Chairman or Director of numerous prominent Commonwealth government Boards. His private real estate investment firm (Gersh Investment Partners Limited) is a key and respected participant in the real estate space, including advisory, finance- both debt and equity – and principal investments. Joe is a proud contributor to philanthropic endeavours, especially within the arts, Jewish community and LGBTQIA+ causes.
Profile
Mr Joseph (Joe) Gersh AM is Executive Chairman of Gersh Investment Partners Limited (“GIPL”) and a trusted adviser to and director of some of Australia’s largest and most successful private and listed companies.
GIPL is a specialist real estate investment firm focusing on property finance, large real estate transactions and has enjoyed success representing some of Melbourne’s leading private developers and construction companies. In 2013, GIPL opened an office in Bangkok Thailand , principally to service Supalai PLC, a SET listed real estate company which has thus far invested almost $385M of equity in Australian residential real estate.
Joe is a former senior partner and Chairman of the Management Committee of the prestigious Melbourne law firm, Arnold Bloch Leibler (ABL). During his 20 year association with ABL, Joe acted for some of the best-known names in the Melbourne business community. His principal areas of expertise were private mergers and acquisitions and major property development projects and, in particular, the construction of hotels, shopping centres, land subdivisions, apartment and office towers.
Over many years, Joe has provided leadership in multiple educational, charitable and community organisations in the Australian Jewish Community and philanthropic endeavours in support of the Arts and LGBTQIA+ causes.
Joe was appointed by the Turnbull Coalition Government to the prestigious post of a Director on the Board of the Australian Broadcasting Corporation [ABC] in May 2018.
Joe was appointed by the Keating Labor Government to the Board of the Federal Airports Corporation in 1995.
Peter Costello AC, Federal Treasurer in the Howard Coalition Government appointed Joe to be a foundation Director of the Reserve Bank of Australia’s Payments System Board and, at the completion of his term, he was the longest ever serving member of any board of the Reserve Bank of Australia (15 years in total), having been reappointed by ALP Treasurer, Wayne Swan.
He was also appointed by the Federal Treasurer to be the inaugural Chairman, in July 2003, of the Australian Reinsurance Pool Corporation, which was established to operate the Australian
Government’s $13.5 billion terrorism risk insurance scheme, in conjunction with the major international reinsurance firms.
He was reappointed to an unprecedented third term as Chairman by Assistant Treasurer, Chris Bowen and was reappointed to a fourth term by Bill Shorten, Minister for Financial Services.
This recognition by both sides of Australian politics underlines Joe’s professionalism and bi-partisan advice.
Joe is a Director in an honorary capacity of The Sydney Institute, a leading forum for public discourse.
He has a deep interest in the arts and was previously Chairman of Artbank (a Federal Government visual arts support programme), Deputy Chairman of the Australia Council for the Arts and Chairman of the National Institute of Circus Arts amongst other not for profit involvements.
Academic:
Graduate, Mount Scopus College – School Captain (1972)
B.Comm, LLB (Hons), Melbourne University (1979)
Gersh is a specialist real estate investment firm, specifically focussed on property finance and principal real estate transactions. Gersh works with property development and real estate companies, connecting them to wholesale and institutional investors in Australia and abroad. We specialise in the following areas
Equity
Gersh provides direct equity investment into real estate development projects via a number of mandates from local and international investors.
Structured Finance
Gersh provides funding for real estate transactions, including construction, development, and land holding (in each segment of the capital stack).
Joint Venture and Principal Investing
Gersh invests its own capital (including various sources of capital from its capital partners) so that we are aligned with our capital partners and as a way to generate risk-adjusted returns for our business.
Advisory Services
Gersh provides a broad range of advisory services to both our capital partners and clients (throughout the real estate life cycle and across all real estate sectors).
Directorships
Joe has been appointed to prominent public company and Commonwealth Government Boards by successive federal governments, both Coalition and Labor.
Directorships
- Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC):
11 May 2018 – 10 May 2023 - Cromwell Property Group (ASX:CMW) :
appointed 18 September 2020
Community and the Arts
Joe is an active philanthropist and has been privileged to serve in a multitude of community organisations. Joe has demonstrated a long and passionate commitment to the advancement of the arts, both through his personal collection and his position on the Boards of several arts focussed not-for-profits.
- The Sydney Institute
- Director, 2003 – Present
- Mt Scopus Memorial College
- Life Councillor, August 2000 – Present
- Vice-President, 1996 – 2004
- Australia Council for the Arts;
- Deputy Chairman, 2006 – 2009
- Artbank
- Chairman, December 2000– 2009
- National Institute of Circus Arts (NICA)
- Chairman, 2005 – 2008
- Jewish Community Council of Victoria
- President, 1990 – 1993
- Asia-Pacific Jewish Association; (Founder)
- Vice President, 1975 – 1979
- Australasian Union of Jewish Students
- President, 1975 – 1976
Capital
Supalai
Supalai Public Company Limited (Supalai PCL), is a Thai property developer that started its journey in building residential and commercial buildings in 1989.
Supalai PCL is a leading real estate development company listed on the Thai stock exchange (SET:SPALI), with a market capitalisation of around AU$2B. Supalai PCL initiated investment in Australia in 2013, entering into an exclusive partnering arrangement with Gersh for the purpose of introducing and managing Supalai’s investment positions.
In 2014, Supalai Australia Holdings (SAH) was incorporated and commenced direct investment in Australian real estate development projects. SAH has invested, through Gersh, with reputable joint venture partners; they include Satterley Property Group, ICD, Peet and Stockland and Mirvac. To date, SAH has committed $385M of equity into 12 major projects, that on completion will deliver approximately 7500 residential dwellings and residential housing lots, with strategic plans for further investments.
Private Syndicates (Tailored Investment Products)
Gersh represents a number of high net worth individuals and families in Australia, sourcing and executing tailored investment products and solutions.
Media
The Sydney Institute: Anti-Semitism on Campus – Then and Now
The Sydney Institute: Anti-Semitism on Campus - Then and Now On June 3rd, Julian Leeser MP introduced a Private Members Bill for a Judicial Inquiry into Antisemitism at Australian Universities. We will need both respect and empathy in these challenging...
The Australian: Stockland wins approval to acquire $1.3bn housing estate portfolio as competition watchdog signs off
The competition regulator has cleared developer Lendlease’s drawn-out $1.3bn sale of 12 housing estates to listed rival Stockland and Thai-owned group Supalai, with the move expected to spark earning upgrades for the buyer. The Australian Competition & Consumer...
ABC Radio Melbourne
I spoke on ABC Radio Melbourne about David Anderson’s resignation as ABC Managing Director after nearly 6 impactful years. Having served on the ABC board during David’s initial appointment, I witnessed his leadership in dealing with the rapidly evolving media...