LOS ANGELES-Eric Hamermesh, a veteran commercial real estate adviser in the Los Angeles market, has joined the real estate investment banking firm of George Smith Partners as a senior vice president and director of business development for a team headed by David Rifkind, principal and managing director of GSP.

According to Rifkind, Hamermesh “is joining George Smith Partners at a time when the pent-up demand for investment is particularly high.” Rifkind cites Hamermesh’s expertise in generating financing options for office, retail, industrial and multifamily properties with banks, investment banks and pension funds.

Hamermesh has been a commercial real estate adviser in Los Angeles for more than 30 years. He most recently held the position of principal and founder of Los Angeles-based Platinum Capital Advisors. While working with investment companies such as Goldman Sachs, Credit Suisse and Canyon Capital, Hamermesh underwrote and performed due diligence on distressed real estate portfolios, and placed millions of dollars’ worth of conventional, high-yield and mezzanine debt as well as equity on behalf of banks, investment banks and pension funds.