The third edition of Getting to Know Who’s NEXT features Alessandra Canavesi, Head of Marketing & Customer Experience, AXA IM Alts.

Alessandra Canavesi is an accomplished international marketing director with over fifteen years of experience in leading financial organizations. Currently, she is the Head of Marketing and Customer Experience at AXA IM Alts, a global leader in alternative investments. Alessandra has held significant roles at LaSalle Investment Management, M&G Asset Management, Investec Private Bank, and HSBC Group, where she delivered impactful marketing campaigns and strategic initiatives.

She holds a Master’s degree in Classics and Philosophy from the University Statale of Milan and is fluent in Italian, English, and is studying French. Alessandra has been a qualified Italian journalist (Giornalista pubblicista) since 2004. She is also a board member of Business Club Italia and ULI Europe NEXT, supporting the professional development of young real estate professionals.

In the following Q&A, Alessandra explores her passion for the commercial real estate industry and her experiences with ULI.

Q1. ULI: So many of us in real estate fall into the industry and hence commercial real estate professional organisations. How did you get involved with ULI?

I first came across ULI while working at LaSalle, where my boss, Jon Zehner, was actively involved and always spoke enthusiastically about the organization. When I joined AXA IM Alts, I managed all corporate partnerships and memberships, giving me direct insight into ULI’s fantastic events and conferences. I quickly realized it was a great organization for cross-practice networking. With several friends who are architects and planners, ULI felt like a natural place for me to feel at home and network.

Q2. ULI: What is the most interesting project you’ve worked on over your career in real estate?

It’s difficult to choose just one! However, being responsible for our annual investors conference in Paris stands out. Bringing our global investors together for an intense two-day event is always a highlight of my year. My objective for each conference is to bring them something they didn’t know before and make them feel inspired.

Q3. ULI: What challenges do you face at this point in your career?

The challenges are twofold. First, attracting and retaining talent while keeping my team motivated and engaged is crucial. My team is essential, and I am nothing without them. Second, embracing new technologies is a constant challenge. While I am aware of tools that could simplify and optimize my work, the rapid pace of technological advancement can be overwhelming. I also see how digital natives tech-savvy are inevitably more than a millennial like me.

Q4. ULI: What are you most excited about regarding the industry’s future?

I’m most excited about the path to decarbonization and the journey to get there. I’m fortunate to work for a company that has been embedding ESG criteria for many year and not just in the recent ones, making our efforts extremely tangible.

Q5. ULI: ULI: What are you currently reading/watching? 

I use my commute and travel time to read and listen to podcasts. The Economist is a non-negotiable read for me, and their subscriber podcasts are top-notch. For investing, I enjoy “Capital Allocators” and “Pivot” by Prof. Scott Galloway. On non-work-related matters, I listen to content about child education and philosophy to balance my professional and personal interests.

Check out the past Getting to know who’s NEXT articles here.