Our Values
We believe that a firm is defined by its people - their experience, their creativity, and above all their values. Integrity and dedication are at the heart of our team.
Everything we do is guided by our mission to help our clients achieve their investment goals. By establishing long-term relationships with our investment partners, we gain an extensive understanding of their requirements, and we seek to become a trusted advisor for the long term.
Our History
JJ Conners and Benjamin Kao previously co-founded Fairlead Commercial Real Estate, which rapidly grew into a leading real estate investment manager specializing in value-add office assets in the US Sunbelt. In 2017 Fairlead was acquired by Bridge Investment Group Partners, a US private equity real estate investment manager.
JJ and Ben established Chestnut Hill Investment Partners with a strategy of taking advantage of in a broader range of asset types and geographies, in partnership with both domestic and international institutional investors.
Our Team
JJ Conners and Benjamin Kao bring over 50 years of combined experience across real estate, private equity, funds management, and capital markets. Having held senior executive roles at leading firms in the US and internationally, they have managed over their careers the acquisition and development of over 7 million square feet of commercial office, industrial, and residential properties, with over US$1.2 billion of transactions since 2000.
JJ Conners
Managing Partner
JJ has over 25 years of experience in office and industrial real estate investment, development, and asset management. In addition to his role at Chestnut Hill Investment Partners, he is also the President at Chestnut Hill Investments, a Florida industrial development company.
Previously, JJ was a Vice President for Flagler Development Company, where he managed all development, leasing, acquisition and disposition activities in North Florida, including 3 million square feet of office and industrial buildings and over 1,000 acres of undeveloped land. Before joining Flagler, Mr. Conners worked for AEW Capital Management in Boston, where he was responsible for sourcing, underwriting and managing new office, apartment and condominium developments in London, Toronto, Chicago, and Washington D.C.
JJ received a bachelor’s degree in Economics and English from Boston College in 1992 and master’s degree in Economics from Boston College in 1994. He is based in Jacksonville, Florida.
Benjamin Kao
Managing Partner
Ben has over 25 years of experience in real estate development and investment, finance, and private equity. Together with JJ, Ben was a Co-Founder and Partner at Fairlead Commercial Real Estate, a Sunbelt value-add office sponsor that was acquired by Bridge Investment Group Partners in 2017.
Previously, Ben was the Co-Founder and Managing Director of MacauLand Developments, a Hong Kong-based real estate development and investment firm which executed investments across Asia in partnership with US institutional investors. Prior to moving to Hong Kong, Mr. Kao worked in New York at Elliott Associates, a hedge fund, and at Goldman Sachs in its Fixed Income Research Department.
Mr. Kao graduated magna cum laude from Harvard University with an A.B. in Biochemical Sciences. He is based in Seattle, Washington.