Simon Russell

Prior to joining Allagash as a Co-Managing Principal and Co-CIO, Mr. Russell founded Koala Property Holdings (“KPH”) in 2019 to purchase and consolidate multiple portfolios of LMI SFR housing in upstate New York. After this consolidation, Mr. Russell oversaw KPH’s portfolio growth while accessing his network of top-class property managers and tradespeople to work to maximize the returns generated by KPH’s SFR portfolio. Additionally, Mr. Russell forged solid working relationships with many local municipality administrators, including those running the Section 8 housing voucher programs, in pursuit of maximal support for KPH’s rental efforts.

From 2015-2019 before founding KPH, Mr. Russell established and managed the US operations of BeCyberSure, a UK-based cyber security business which focused on offering security and risk management services primarily to financial service firms, law firms and real estate investment companies. He generated robust sales growth by creating a unique subscription offering for small and medium sized companies.

Prior to joining BeCyberSure, Mr. Russell enjoyed a 22-year career in financial services specializing in both principal trading and equity and derivative sales. From 1993-2006, he worked for Deutsche Bank, Bank Austria, Rabobank, and Pali Capital, among others, in countries throughout Europe and Asia. Notably, Mr. Russell doubled equity sales revenue within 6 months of joining Bank Austria and upon being promoted to Head of Equities was able to grow the equity business to #2 in their market. Subsequently, Mr. Russell founded Rabobank’s Eastern European equity business and achieved profitability ahead of budget targets before being promoted to run their Global Emerging Market Sales business out of their London offices. In 2006, Pali Capital promoted Mr. Russell and transferred him to their New York City headquarters to run European Asset Sales. From 2006-2015, he worked for Pali and other niche financial markets institutions in a series of senior sales management roles. Mr. Russell prides himself on maintaining many of the client relationships that he established while working in financial services, even those from his first years in the business.

While advising various real estate companies during his management of the BeCyberSure US business, Mr. Russell discovered a passion for revitalizing underutilized and under-maintained properties. Over the last few years, in addition to running the KPH business, he restored a century-old carriage house, which he doubled in value in 18 months. Mr. Russell also performed the multimillion rehabilitation of a brownstone in Brooklyn, New York in which he doubled the size of the building and added units while maintaining the historic structures architectural integrity.

Mr. Russell was born in Sydney, Australia and brought up between London and New York. He graduated from Kingston University in the UK earning a BA in Economics with Honors. Mr. Russell spent 5 years in the UK Territorial Army initially in the Officer Training Corps and then the Honorable Artillery Company.

He lives in New York City with his wife and 3 year-old son.