NEW YORK CITY-Two industry powerhouses figure in personnel moves that services firms have made to ramp up their respective operations. Cushman & Wakefield has promoted John Santora into the newly created position of CEO of client solutions, while Colliers International has brought in James Emden from CB Richard Ellis as vice chairman for its New York tristate operations. Both are based in Manhattan.
In his new capacity, Santora will oversee C&W’s largest operating unit, which serves corporate tenants and institutional investors, employs more than 7,000 and manages about 600 million square feet of commercial space worldwide. Santora, who has been with C&W for more than 30 years, has served as president and CEO for the firm’s Americas region since mid-2008. He’ll continue serving in that capacity until a new regional chief is found.
Before taking on the Americas regional leadership, Santora served as global COO for three years. In a way, his new role expands on a previous one: prior to becoming global COO, Santora was head of C&W’s asset services group, now a part of the client solutions unit. He’s credited with the expansion and integration of the services group worldwide.
Glenn Rufrano, C&W’s president and CEO, says in a release that Santora is uniquely qualified to drive our global corporate services business forward” as it streamlines operations. Santora says in the release that the new position “will emphasize global integration and collaboration in a way that will help our clients benefit from more than the sum of our parts.”
Emden similarly has had a long tenure with a single firm. In this case, the tenure began in 1974 with what was then the Edward S. Gordon Co., which grew into Insignia/ESG and finally CBRE. During that time, he arranged more than $500 million worth of leases, notably Viacom’s 450,000-square-foot deal at 1515 Broadway, Lantis Eyewear’s 338,000-square-foot lease in Secaucus, NJ and Omnicom’s 300,000-square-foot space at 220 E. 42nd St.
As vice chairman for his new employer, Emden will be responsible for growing Colliers International’s tenant representation division, in addition to transacting leases, acquiring new business and developing the organization’s broker roster. He says in a release that “the opportunity reenergizes me as I enter a new phase in my career.” A spokesman for CBRE tells GlobeSt.com his firm has no comment.
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Paul Bubny
Paul Bubny is managing editor of Real Estate Forum and GlobeSt.com. He has been reporting on business since 1988 and on commercial real estate since 2007. He is based at ALM Real Estate Media Group's offices in New York City.
