Earlier this year I had the pleasure of sitting down with Andrew Essey the Chief Investment Officer at Centuria Capital. Our conversation remains one of my favourites from throughout this project. I hope you enjoy learning about Andrew’s career and journey into the property industry as much as I did.
Soccer to Sydney. Andrew grew up in Columbia, Maryland before earning a soccer scholarship to Radford University in Virginia, where he studied Marketing and Economics. While we spoke about his time at university, he shared how playing team sports taught him the valuable lesson of accountability which has influenced the way he operates in business today- emphasising the importance of showing up at your best for your team.
Andrew’s move to Australia was something out of a movie explaining how at 16 years old he met a girl on a soccer tournament in California. Years later, after long distance, letter writing, and visits back and forth that girl became his wife. As she had grown up in Sydney the pair moved back there while engaged and have remained here ever since. Upon arriving in Australia Andrew joined DTZ (now a part of Cushman and Wakefield), where he began developing his network and skills. A turning point came when he was recommended for the role of National Leasing Manager. He had worked with the Jeremy Rowbotham (prior National Leasing Manager at Centuria) who was moving to GPT Group and made the recommendation to the CEO’s that Andrew fills his role. While Andrew loved agency work, the client-side opportunity offered exposure to national markets and the chance to be part of a growing, progressive team.Transformative Growth at Centuria. When Andrew joined Centuria 12 years ago the business was managing around $3-4Bn in assets. Today the company manages $21Bn, during his 12 years with Centuria Andrew has held several roles. He started as National Leasing Manager after two years Andrew pivoted into funds management where he spent a year and half before pitching to the CEOs to be considered for Head of Transactions after the opportunity arose. As we discussed these different roles I was amazed by the approach Centuria has instilled in their team to seize new opportunities whenever they arise and always look to grow their skillset. Andrew spent a few years as Head of Transactions before moving into his current role of Chief Investment Officer.
Andrew highlighted a few milestones from his time at Centuria which included the acquisition of Augusta Capital in New Zealand, now Centuria NZ. Further expanding the team while incorporating their new listed and unlisted funds. The acquisition brought together a perfect blend of like-minded team cultures. That was quickly followed by a bold entry into healthcare real estate with the acquisition of Heathley. Centuria was early in spotting the long-term value of healthcare assets building on the work started by the Heathley team.The momentum didn’t stop there. The acquisition of Primewest securities brought Centuria into the retail, large format, and subregional shopping centre sectors- adding over 100 funds and a top-tier team based in Western Australia. Over the past 2 years Centuria has been focused on investment in institutional quality assets which led to their entrance into agriculture by acquiring a 33-hectare glasshouse. “We’re getting close to a billion in agri-assets,” Andrew noted. Centuria also expanded into real estate credit through a stake in BASS Capital, focused on offering loans within $15–100M range. Yet another example of how Centuria continues to evolve into a multi-sector, multi-platform investment business.
A Culture of Collaboration and Care. Andrew emphasized that none of this growth could happen without Centuria’s strong team culture. Founders Jason Huljich and John McBain, remain at the helm after nearly 30 years. When Andrew shared his story about joining Centuria he mentioned he sat down with the CEO’s, which has been a protocol of the company to ensure that before signing future Centurian’s have the opportunity to meet with Jason or John. The company’s high standards align with their values of teamwork, humility, and a “get things done” attitude are crucial to ensuring long term success. “Are they a Centurian or not?” Andrew asked, explaining their careful hiring approach. Internally, the team operates with deep collaboration and shared accountability. Their intern program, now in its third year, has hired nearly every participant emphasising the importance of finding the perfect fit at all levels.
Mentorship and Giving Back. Centuria places an emphasis on supporting team members and creating an environment where people are always growing. Andrew is a champion for mentorship—both as a mentee and mentor. After initially struggling to build structure into a mentorship years ago, he returned to the same mentor, with a new proposal for regular quarterly sessions and structured questions. That relationship is now thriving and deeply impactful. He’s also taken on two mentees himself, helping drive and expand their development.
Externally, Centuria’s supports their community through their long-standing commitment to St. Lucy’s School—a school for children with disabilities. Their commitment includes financial donations and staff volunteering days and their annual trivia fundraiser attracts hundreds across the industry and has raised hundreds of thousands of dollars annually. “We’ve leaned into this charity,” Andrew shared. “We can’t do everything, but we can make a real difference here.”
Advice for the Next Generation. Andrew closed our conversation with practical wisdom for those early in their careers. “You don’t need to know exactly what you want to be,” he said. “Just start with something you’re good at and that you enjoy.” He encouraged openness to pivoting and emphasized the value of curiosity and teamwork. “Be the person who’s willing to help, who’s eager to sit in on conversations outside their role. The attitude is everything.” Andrew’s story is a powerful reminder of where hard work, humility and adaptability can take you. To hear more about Andrew’s story and his work at Centuria make sure to check out our latest podcast.
