As Wingate embarks on its next chapter, we sat down with our new CEO, Nick Jacobson, to learn more about his journey, leadership philosophy, and vision for Wingate.
A Unique Path to Private Capital
Nick Jacobson’s journey to private capital was anything but conventional. Born in Johannesburg, South Africa, he began his career as an aspiring human rights lawyer, spending his clerkship advocating for prisoners during the anti-apartheid movement. However, after completing his articles, he realised his time in South Africa was limited.
On arriving in Sydney in April 1990, with $500 in traveller’s cheques and a single suitcase, his studies at university in tax and accounting helped him land a role at Deloitte, launching his career in finance.
Over the next three decades, he built a distinguished career in investment banking, holding senior roles at global institutions, including Deutsche Bank, Citi, and Goldman Sachs. A key driver throughout his career was his interest in real estate financing, a sector that, for him, blends both the tangible and intangible.
“You see projects evolve and come to life, and there is a real community impact, especially in places like shopping centres. There's always a human element, and it is actually quite fulfilling to be a part of something that you help create,” he says.
Mentorship and Global Experience
Throughout his career, Jacobson benefited from mentorship, particularly from the late John Uhrig, former chairman of Westpac and Santos.
“He pulled me under his wing when I was a young banker and taught me about Australia’s business culture because I had no reference points. It was my first real mentoring relationship at that level, and it had a profound impact on me,” Jacobson recalls.
At Goldman, where he co-headed investment banking and chaired the Real Estate sector team for Australia and New Zealand, he learned the power of strategic thinking and contingency planning.
“Some of the Goldman guys offshore were very influential in the nature of their strategic thinking, not exactly seeing around corners, but having game plans. So everything I now talk about is, ‘Have you got a game plan? What is your strategy? What is your plan B?’ Contingency planning is incredibly important in business, because you don't always have the outlook that you expect,” he says.
Returning to Australia in 2009 after working in London with Deutsche Bank and Citi, he spent seven years at Goldman Sachs before founding Capstra, a boutique commercial real estate private credit and advisory firm.
“It was my first time working for myself, and I wanted to build a business where everyone had skin in the game. I gave my partners equity from day one, and when Wingate acquired Capstra, they all shared in that success,” he says.
“The relationship piece was fundamental. Agility is important in a small business, but if you've got no relationships, you've got no business. Everybody had to go out and have this direct engagement with the clients. The hands-on, network element there was very important.”
Vision for Wingate
Now, as Managing Director of Wingate, Jacobson sees the firm’s success rooted in its inclusive corporate culture, which balances top-down leadership with bottom-up innovation. His connection to Wingate founder, Farrel Meltzer, runs deep first meeting at university in South Africa decades ago.
Drawing on his experience at Capstra, Jacobson emphasises the value of relationships, agility, and client partnership.
“At the end of the day, we are a personal service business, not just a funding partner. Our relationships are our greatest strength, and our success is built on ensuring our clients’ success.”
As Wingate and its partnership with CLI evolves, Jacobson see nearly limitless opportunities for the business.
“In a business like this, which is constantly evolving, the relentless pursuit of innovation is critical. If you’re not thinking about how your approach could become redundant, you’re not pushing hard enough,” he says.