In this role, Whitford will focus on new business development and investment strategy, and will work with Todd Lovell, who has over nine years of industry experience and has been with Brookfield Investment Management for two years.

Whitford has 16 years of experience in the insurance asset management industry. He has spent the last three years with Conning’s insurance advisory group and has also worked with United Health Care, GE Insurance Solutions and Prime Advisors.

Avila will focus on municipal bond research within the insurance asset management group, similar to his previous role with Moody’s Investors Service in the Public Finance Group.

Avila will join the Brookfield’s investment team, which is headed by portfolio managers, Dominick Bonanno and Joseph Syage.

Brookfield’s insurance asset management group has managed customized insurance client portfolios for more than 20 years and currently has $9.8bn in insurance assets under management.

Brookfield Investment Management had approximately $23bn in assets under management as of 31 March 2011. Headquartered in New York, the firm maintains offices and investment teams in Chicago, Boston, London, Hong Kong, Sydney, and Toronto.