Key Takeaways
- Geography: Australia, United States.
Analysis
Ares Management has strengthened its infrastructure debt platform with new senior hires in New York and Sydney, as it looks to expand its presence across the Americas and the Asia-Pacific region.
In New York, Ares appointed Jon Plavnick as a partner, where he will lead the sourcing, structuring, and management of infrastructure debt investments across the Americas. Plavnick brings nearly 20 years of experience, most recently as a partner at Global Infrastructure Partners, acquired by BlackRock in 2024. His background includes leadership roles at Oaktree Capital, BNP Paribas, and Deutsche Bank.
Meanwhile, Spencer Ivey, partner and head of Americas and Asia-Pacific infrastructure debt, has relocated to the Sydney office to drive growth in the Asia-Pacific market. Originally from Australia, Ivey helped scale Ares’ platform over 11 years, including its 2022 acquisition of the infrastructure debt business.
Patrick Trears, partner and global head of Ares infrastructure debt, stated: “We’ve positioned our infrastructure debt platform as a scaled financing provider across digital, transport, energy, and utility sectors. Jon’s deep sector knowledge and Spencer’s regional leadership will further accelerate our global expansion.”
Ares’ infrastructure debt strategy currently manages $11 billion across 25 investment professionals operating in New York, London, Sydney, and Singapore.
These hires follow a series of strategic appointments by Ares to reinforce its infrastructure platform:
- Brent Canada, joined as partner in New York (2022)
- Lorenzo Ceretti, appointed partner in London (2023)
- Daniel Katz, longtime Ares executive, became head of portfolio management for infrastructure debt in 2024
Beyond infrastructure, Ares has also been active in alternative credit and private equity talent acquisition. In late 2024, the firm named a new co-head of Europe for its alternative credit division, and continues to bolster its presence in ESG infrastructure and sustainable finance.
With global assets under management (AUM) reaching $546 billion, Ares Management is strategically investing in senior talent to lead its next phase of platform and product growth across infrastructure finance, private credit, and alternative assets.