You spent a decade at The Urban Developer, most recently as National Events Director. How has that experience shaped the perspective you bring to Pallas Capital?
A decade at The Urban Developer gave me a front‑row seat to how the industry moves through different cycles and markets. Working closely with developers across project pipelines helped me understand the real pressures around funding, timing and delivery, as well as the sentiment shaping decisions on the ground. I bring that perspective to Pallas Capital — practical, informed and grounded in how developers are navigating the market today.
You’ve built strong relationships across the development community through your work in media and events. How are you drawing on those networks as you settle into your new role here?
The relationships I’ve built over time are genuine and long-standing, so it’s less about expanding my network and more about continuing conversations in a different context. There’s already trust there, which allows for more open and productive discussions around projects and opportunities. My role is really about aligning developers with the right capital and helping both sides move forward with confidence.
What appealed to you about moving from an industry wide media platform into a capital and partnerships role? Was there something about Pallas Capital’s model or approach that resonated with you?
A big part of the decision was people and culture. I’ve worked with the Pallas Capital team many times over the years and always respected their approach — commercial, straightforward and genuinely aligned with developers. There’s a strong entrepreneurial mindset and willingness to back good people and projects, which really resonated with me. It felt like a team I wanted to join, one where I could add value and be surrounded by people who think and operate in a similar way.
Your role as Senior Manager – Market & Developer Partnerships is brand new to Pallas Capital. How are you thinking about shaping it, and what are you focusing on in these early months as you get to know the business?
Right now, it’s about listening and getting close to both the team and the market. I’m focused on understanding where we can add the most value for developers and where the strongest opportunities are. As the role evolves, it will centre on building deeper relationships with developers and creating a more proactive, targeted approach to origination alongside our existing channels.
A key part of your remit is strengthening our relationships with developers. How do you see this complementing the strong broker partnerships that continue to drive much of our deal flow?
It’s very much about complementing, not replacing. Brokers are a critical part of the ecosystem and will continue to drive deal flow. This role just adds another layer, getting closer to developers earlier, understanding their pipelines and creating more opportunities that still involve brokers as those opportunities progress. It’s about broadening access and strengthening relationships across the board.
From your vantage point, what do you think developers are looking for most in a capital partner today, and how can Pallas Capital best support them?
Certainty, speed and flexibility are the big ones. Developers want partners who understand their projects, can move quickly and don’t overcomplicate things. Pallas Capital does that well — we’re able to take a commercial view, structure deals to suit the project and give developers confidence that we can deliver. That’s what really matters in the current environment.
As you look ahead, what impact do you hope this role will have on how Pallas engages with the market and the types of projects we’re able to support?
I’d like to see Pallas Capital become even more connected with developers earlier in the process and more consistently over time. That means building long-term relationships, not just one-off transactions and being seen as a partner that understands the market and adds value beyond capital. If we can do that well, it will translate into stronger deal flow and projects, which in turn creates better urban outcomes.
If you would like to speak with David, email him at david.dimarco@pallascapital.com.au