At Your Service – Commercial Service Firms Lead the Charge
Happy New Year! This year is being ushered in with a boatload of good economic news, and a lot of optimism. Yesterday, the Dow hit a multi-year high; lead articles in the Wall Street Journal, over the past couple of days, indicate that corporations have righted their balance sheets, hoarded cash and are now ready to go on a hiring spree; Congress is sorting out things as government moves to the “center” where we need it to be to get things done; and real estate is starting to feel better all over. Clearly with a stage set like this, it is reasonable to assume that real estate commercial service firms are in for a good ride this year and I expect that we will see large global firms, and boutiques as well, renew hiring activity and other organizational investments to capitalize on the recovery. This trend is going to cut across all of the business lines of these companies. Service firms are often leading indicators, and the indicator light is bright green. Cheers, and here’s to a good year!

Tony LoPinto is a senior client partner and head of Korn//Ferry International’s Real Estate Practice and founder of SelectLeaders. The views expressed in this article are the author’s own.

CB RICHARD ELLIS
Head of Americas Research
(BOSTON) The head of Americas research will take the lead in promoting CB Richard Ellis Americas research output through articles, client presentations and seminars, conference presentations, press interviews and business television appearances; set the strategic direction, jointly with the executive director of Americas research operations; and liaise with business line heads; among other duties.