Paul Rizzo has been announced as Chairman of Wingate’s WIP Investment Committee. Mr Rizzo brings with him more than 50 years of corporate experience, having held senior executive roles in many of Australia’s most prominent blue-chip organisations, including Telstra, CBA, ANZ and the State Bank of Victoria.

His board appointments include the role of Chairman for Foxtel and the Defence Audit and Risk Committee for the Department of Defence, as well as numerous other Non-Executive Directorships for companies including ASC, National Australia Bank, Rothschild, The Seven Network, Bluescope Steel, Mallesons Stephen Jaques and IBM Australia.

Mr Rizzo said one of the main attractions of the role was the opportunity to work with the Wingate team,

“Wingate’s senior executives strike me as deeply knowledgeable and professional, with a nice blend of wanting growth and high returns, but doing so in a very slow and deliberate way,” Mr Rizzo said,  “This role as Chairman of the WIP Committee is largely about risk management – which is where my bias has been for the past decade.”

Wingate Property Managing Director Ryan Levin welcomed Mr Rizzo to the role,

“We are delighted to have Paul on board as chair of Wingate’s flagship WIP debt funds. His broad knowledge, deep experience and strong risk and investment acumen will no doubt build on WIPs’ already very successful formula, and he will be a real asset to the Fund.”

Wingate Investment Partners Trusts are a series of investment vehicles that co-invest with the shareholders, directors and management of Wingate. The WIP funds are made up of a diversified portfolio of secured private debt, with funds under management approaching $500m.