PIR was established in 1989. Richard Cruickshank was its architect and founder. He has held senior roles in the finance, investment, stockbroking and advisory disciplines in Australia and UK for the past thirty years and has maintained a pre-eminent role in property trust investment and research for more than twenty years. He conceived and is convener of the Property Funds Industry Forum; one of the largest annual conventions devoted to the industry in the Asia Pacific region and is an active contributor to many property securities forums and associations. Richard is recognized as a pioneer of securitized property research, ratings and market promotion in Australia and a strong advocate for rigorous research, good governance and a healthy securitized property market.
Mark Wist, Director
Mark Wist heads PIR's research and reporting division. He holds a valuation degree and has practiced as a valuer. He was National Research Manager for New Zealand's largest commercial real estate firm and later head of consultancy for one of UK's largest valuation partnerships. Mark brings together a suite of skills in valuations, research, consultancy, and property, asset and project management to provide an holistic and scientifically grounded perspective on his responsibility for the operational management of PIR's business units. He joined PIR as a Director in 2002. He is a chartered surveyor (RICS) a practicing member of the Australian Property Institute; a member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors, the Property Institute of New Zealand, the Investment Property Forum and the Society of Property Researchers.
Dugald Higgins, Associate Director
Dugald comes from an agribusiness background and holds an Advanced Diploma in Rural Business Management and a Bachelor of Business. Dugald is responsible for the management of PIR's Investment Evaluation Service, the leading provider of research to the unlisted property funds industry. Prior to joining PIR in 2002, Dugald held the position of Senior Research Analyst evaluating Managed Investment Schemes in a research house, where he specialised in market commodities and scenario analysis. Dugald has undertaken investment evaluations of over $3 billion in capital raisings in the property funds industry and was the principal author of PIR's Direct Property Funds Review and the subsequent Unlisted Property Funds Industry Reviews since 2003. Dugald is regularly quoted in Australia's national press and is a recognised expert in the securitised property industry.
