Jennifer Ciullo departed Greystar Real Estate Partners after nine years to join Hawkeye Partners as partner and head of client solutions. The Austin-based private equity firm announced her appointment Wednesday as it shifts strategy from seeding emerging managers to launching direct real estate funds.

Hawkeye Partners has built its reputation specializing in early-stage real estate platform investments. The firm's expansion into proprietary fund management represents a significant evolution in its business model, requiring deeper capital-raising capabilities and investor relationships.

Ciullo brings extensive experience from her tenure at the residential giant, where she developed relationships across institutional and private wealth channels. Her hire signals Hawkeye's serious intent to compete in the direct real estate investment space, leveraging her track record to attract capital for new fund launches.

The move reflects broader trends in private equity real estate, where firms increasingly seek to capture fee income and investment control rather than merely providing early capital. This transition positions Hawkeye to capture more value across the investment lifecycle while challenging traditional fund managers for investor allocations.