Blackstone announces leadership changes in Real Estate division

Blackstone has announced significant leadership changes within its Real Estate division. 

Katie Keenan 

Katie Keenan has been appointed CEO and director of Blackstone Real Estate Income Trust, Inc. ("BREIT") and global head of the Core+ Real Estate business, succeeding Wesley M. LePatner. 
Keenan, a long-time Blackstone executive since 2012, currently serves as global co-CIO of Blackstone Real Estate Debt Strategies ("BREDS") and CEO of Blackstone Mortgage Trust, Inc, where she has been instrumental in growing the BREDS platform to $77 billion.
Zaneta Koplewicz, BREIT head of Shareholder Relations, will become co-president and director of BREIT alongside A.J. Agarwal. Rob Harper, BREIT Interim CEO, will return to his role as BREIT Head of Asset Management.
Tim Johnson will take over as CEO of BXMT, succeeding Keenan. As global head of BREDS and chair of BXMT’s Board, Johnson has extensive experience overseeing BXMT for over a decade. He will continue in his current roles.
Austin Peña, executive VP, Investments of BXMT, has been named President and Director, and will continue to lead the company’s investment, capital allocation, and balance sheet strategy.
All appointments are effective November 10, 2025, except for Keenan’s role as global head of Core+ Real Estate, which is effective immediately. 
Blackstone is the world's largest commercial real estate owner, with assets spanning various geographies and sectors, including logistics, data centres, residential, office, and hospitality.