People

Rick Bodio’s hire is part of an effort to expand the historically farmland-focused firm’s small presence in agribusiness, aided by GSO Capital Partners co-founder Bennett Goodman.

The firm has named Jeff Briggs for the role, as Mark Rogers readies to step into the CEO role in April 2023 to replace outgoing David Brand.

The asset manager has appointed a new COO and a horticulture general manager.

Jessica Hans, who has also worked at the Blackstone Group, says this point in the market cycle brings opportunity to uncorrelated sources of yield.

Mark Rogers will replace David Brand as New Forests CEO, with Brand to serve as chair until departing the business in 2025.

Oaktree Capital Partners is no longer involved with Argyle Capital Partners, ending the former’s involvement in the ag and water assets previously managed under the Blue Sky banner.

New Agriculture’s Bruce King and New Forests’ Mark Rogers discuss the new division’s strategy, what investors want from the asset class, and the potential blend of farmland and forestry into a single investment product.

New Agriculture will be led by Bruce King, who joined the firm in 2022, and will manage the Lawson Grains portfolio it acquired in 2021.

Addison Taylor says new fund managers and foreign investors are driving an evolution of farmland markets in Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi and Tennessee.

Tom Strachan was an executive director at Packhorse Pastoral Company and an investor in agricultural properties, after founding and selling labor hire company AWX.