Movers and shakers

Tom Duke has been appointed managing principal at Benher Capital Partners. Duke will launch the firm’s new real estate investment, management and development platform in New York. He was previously a vice president of CBRE’s tri-state retail group.

Ackman-Ziff Real Estate Group has hired Evan Denner to expand the brokerage’s investment sales operation and other areas of business. Denner is the co-founder of merchant banking firm Lauderhill Partners. He joined Ackman-Ziff in December as an adviser. The move is part of a larger hiring push by Ackman-Ziff president Simon Ziff to ramp up its investment sales platform, which has four full-time brokers.

The Kaufman Organization has promoted Michael Kazmierski to principal and director of acquisitions under Kaufman New Ventures, a division that acquires, renovates, repositions and operates commercial buildings throughout New York. Kazmierski was previously a vice president of the New Ventures division. He is the youngest principal in the firm’s 107-year history.

Real estate investment bank Eyzenberg & Company has hired Jeff Conti as a managing director. Conti will place and execute commercial real estate capitalization assignments for the company’s clients. He comes from Annaly Commercial Real Estate Group.

Lev Kimyagarov has joined Eastern Consolidated as a senior director in its investment sales division. Kimyagarov previously  worked at Cushman & Wakefield, where he was a senior director in the capital markets group.

Belkin Burden Wenig & Goldman has promoted Christina Simanca–Proctor and Lisa Gallaudet to partners at the law firm. The two were formerly associates. Both practice in the litigation department and are based in the firm’s Madison Avenue headquarters in Midtown.

Law firm Kramer Levin Naftalis & Frankel has promoted Inge Hindriks to special counsel. She was previously an associate. Her job involves advising and representing developers, property owners, lenders and investors in real estate development and construction.

Richard Klein has joined the boutique law firm Romer Debbas LLP as a partner. He now manages the firm’s co-op and condominium board practice. He previously ran his own law firm for 17 years.

Jordan Friedman has joined the sales team at Cignature Realty as an associate real estate broker. His focus will be on multifamily and mixed-use investment sales in Manhattan. He was previously a real estate attorney with over 18 years of experience.

Mdrn. Residential has three new hires: Dan Berman has joined as a sales director who is responsible for training and advising brokers. He most recently worked at Bellmarc Realty. Olinda Tuturro has been hired as the firm’s director of talent in charge of recruitment. She was previously at Weichert Properties. Meza Eythel has signed on as listings manager. He previously held the same role at Bellmarc.