Oxford Announces Leadership Transition with Eric Plesman to Rejoin Company as President & CEO
Plesman to start on November 3, 2025, with Daniel Fournier to support a successful transition and ensure continuity
TORONTO, Sept. 9, 2025 /CNW/ - Oxford Properties Group ("Oxford"), the global real estate investor, developer and manager owned by OMERS, today announced a planned leadership transition. Following a comprehensive succession process, Daniel Fournier will step away from the leadership of Oxford as of November 3, with Eric Plesman rejoining the company on that date as President & CEO.
Plesman is a highly accomplished and respected global real estate executive with deep familiarity with both Oxford and the Canadian pension fund landscape. He most recently served as Head of Global Real Estate at HOOPP where he led a diversified international business spanning North America, Europe and Asia Pacific. Earlier in his career, Plesman spent over a decade at Morgan Stanley in progressively senior and global roles.
He first joined Oxford in 2011 and spent over a decade at the firm, driving significant success in his role as Head of Canadian Investments, before being promoted to Head of Canada then to Executive Vice President, North America to oversee Oxford's largest geographic region by assets under management and personnel.
In addition to his leadership of HOOPP's global real estate business, Eric serves as a member of the Board of Directors at the Greater Toronto Airport Authority, which manages and operates Toronto's Pearson International Airport, the largest airport in Canada. He also serves as Chair of the Institutional Investor Council at the Pension Real Estate Association (PREA) which represents and advocates for global institutional investors
"Leading Oxford over the past three years has been a profound privilege," said Daniel Fournier, Executive Chair at Oxford. "From the outset, I committed to step aside when three conditions were met: that we accelerated progress against our biggest opportunities and challenges; we strengthened performance across the business; and that we secured the best possible leader for Oxford's next chapter. With those goals achieved, now is the perfect time for Eric, who is an exceptional real estate executive, to take the helm and lead Oxford in its next chapter."
"I'm honoured to return to Oxford, an organization whose people, culture and purpose I know firsthand and have a deep personal admiration for," said Eric Plesman. "Oxford has a world-class platform that is unique in the marketplace, a clear strategy and strong momentum. I look forward to partnering with the teams across Oxford and OMERS to deliver for our customers, capital partners and members, and to build on the company's global strength and reputation."
"We are delighted to welcome Eric back to lead the Oxford Properties team," said Blake Hutcheson, President and Chief Executive Officer of OMERS. "Eric's impressive investment acumen and leadership skills make him the ideal person to build on Oxford's 65-year legacy of investing in, developing and managing high-quality real estate on behalf of the 650,000 members of the OMERS pension plan."
Hutcheson continued, "Daniel Fournier's extraordinary leadership has guided Oxford through an unprecedented time for real estate over the past three years. He is not only a remarkable investor but also one of the best and most selfless leaders I have ever worked with. He cares deeply about his team and achieving the best win/win outcomes. We extend our heartfelt thanks to Daniel for his exceptional work and his commitment to succession, and to ensuring a smooth leadership transition."
To support a successful transition, Fournier will provide strategic counsel into 2026 and will work closely with Plesman to maintain focus and momentum against Oxford's operational execution and strategic priorities.
SOURCE Oxford Properties
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