Blackstone appoints Katie Keenan as CEO of real estate income trust

(Reuters) – Blackstone said on Friday it has appointed Katie Keenan as the CEO of its real estate income trust and global head of the Core+ business.

Keenan has served in several leadership roles at the firm in her tenure of over a decade. She currently serves as the global co-chief investment officer of Blackstone’s real estate debt strategies and CEO of mortgage trust.

She succeeds Wesley LePatner in both roles after her tragic death. LePatner, a senior executive at Blackstone, was gunned down in July when a gunman opened fire as she was leaving her Midtown Manhattan office.

LePatner’s death was at random. Neither she nor Blackstone was specifically targeted.

Blackstone also named Zaneta Koplewicz as the co-president and director of the real estate income trust.

(Reporting by Pritam Biswas in Bengaluru; Editing by Leroy Leo)