Asteco expands property management and leasing departments with new appointments

Spearheading these departments will be Katrina Newcombe, Head of Property Management in the UAE, and Camilla van der Merwe, Head of Leasing for Dubai.

Newcombe brings over 15 years of property and asset management and corporate real estate experience working in Australia, Asia and the Middle East.

Her new role will see her taking overall responsibility for all Asteco's property management services in the UAE.

Newcombe has managed properties, including industrial parks, luxury residential condominiums and office towers in Melbourne, Hong Kong and South Korea.

She was also the General Manager of a landmark mixed use development covering an area of over 150,000m2. Newcombe's experience also includes facility and project management.

"Property management is evolving as new laws and regulations are being instituted by the respective authorities. We need to develop with the market and Katrina's unique blend of experience will enable her to provide expertise and valuable insight into the dynamics of managing mixed-use assets which seems to be the growing trend,"

said Andrew Chambers, Managing Director of Asteco.


Newcombe's prior experience includes heading Corporate Real Estate Services for the UAE and Gulf with Standard Chartered Bank for a year in 2007. From 2004 to 2007, she was General Manager at AMP Capital Investors, Australia.

On the other hand, Camilla van der Merwe, a South African national, has 14 years of diverse experience in commercial, industrial and retail property sectors.

Her expertise in real estate marketing, management and leasing, combined with an exceptional track record in investment bank property leasing, makes her an invaluable member of the Asteco leasing team.

Van der Merwe started her career in 1995 as a Property Administrator at JHI Property Services in South Africa and moved to Nedcor Investments Bank as a portfolio Manager for three years in 1997.

She then joined Rand Merchant Bank Properties as Property Portfolio Manager from 2000 to 2002.

Prior to her move to Asteco, Van der Merwe was Group Property Leasing Manager for Nedbank Ltd for three years from 2005 onwards and Leasing Manager with TFMC in South Africa from 2002.

Van der Merwe's qualifications include Business Honours from the University of Witwatersrand, Certificate in Shopping Centre Management and Certificate for the Commercial Property Practitioner (CCPP) from the University of Pretoria.

Founded in Dubai in 1985, Asteco is the UAE's largest property services company. Its services include retail, commercial and residential sales and leasing; strategic consultancy; property management and marketing; feasibility studies and valuations; and research and investment.