(Mark Your Calendars: RealShare REAL ESTATE 2012, March 22nd in Los Angeles).
LOS ANGELES-Those who follow @GlobeStcom on Twitter may have seen a post teasing the announcement yesterday, but GlobeSt.com has learned that Chris Cooper, former CEO of Charles Dunn Co., has moved to Avison Young. Avison Young has not yet shared details with GlobeSt.com regarding what his title will be at Avison Young, except to say that he will be "in a Southern California leadership role," but will reveal more on that next week.
Cooper stepped into the position as CEO of Charles Dunn back in June 2010 from Cushman & Wakefield. Cooper told GlobeSt.com at the time that he is not the sort who institutes a host of changes on taking a new post. Rather, he is the type to “spend his initial days at the company familiarizing himself with the people and the place in preparation with working with the other leaders on future plans.”
Cooper, who was previously based in the Downtown L. A. office of Charles Dunn, was with Cushman & Wakefield since 2005. Before that, he was an executive vice president with Jones Lang LaSalle, where he started in 1997. Before joining Jones Lang LaSalle, he worked for 11 years practicing real estate law and representing public and private sector clients in different areas of commercial real estate and finance law.
Ironically, just in September, Cooper chatted with GlobeSt.com about the CRE job picture and hiring environment, noting that his firm at the time, Charles Dunn, was growing its service capability and aggressively expanding its entrepreneurial brokerage operations in all product types. “We are in the midst of a trend as companies realize there is a new economy and new dynamic in the real estate industry,” he said.
Some companies, Cooper said, are either looking to expand and roll out a full-service global corporate service business or expand upon what they have. Others, he pointed out, are looking for people who can help them be an integrator, working to deliver holistic real estate solutions. Some companies, Cooper continued, are looking for people to run business verticals like tenant rep groups, or retail groups. Finally, he said, there is a growing market for real estate leaders who can develop business and strategy within business line verticals such as positions within healthcare, law, technology, entertainment, and media industries.
From a brokerage perspective, Cooper said that while investment sales have increased, firms have been cautious in the hiring of new brokers. “Hiring is strategic and slow, but it is increasing incrementally,” he said. “Mid-cap deals are getting done in good quantities, and brokers are looking for a better platform and better opportunities for their business.”
Avison Young is clearly a growing firm, not just out west. As GlobeSt.com previously reported, every year, almost like clockwork, Avison Young makes some move to expand its local presence in the commercial real estate market. In D.C. for example, two years ago it acquired Appian Realty Advisors. Last July, it snapped up Millennium Realty Advisors, a deal that placed Avison among the top five agency leasing businesses in Northern Virginia. Avison Young recently added an eight-person Grubb & Ellis team, headed by Bruce McNair and Bill Morris.
Charles Dunn and Avison Young did not provide comment to GlobeSt.com on this story by deadline, however GlobeSt.com will update this story as further information becomes available.
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Natalie Dolce
Natalie Dolce, editor-in-chief of GlobeSt.com and GlobeSt. Real Estate Forum, is responsible for working with editorial staff, freelancers and senior management to help plan the overarching vision that encompasses GlobeSt.com, including short-term and long-term goals for the website, how content integrates through the company’s other product lines and the overall quality of content. Previously she served as national executive editor and editor of the West Coast region for GlobeSt.com and Real Estate Forum, and was responsible for coverage of news and information pertaining to that vital real estate region. Prior to moving out to the Southern California office, she was Northeast bureau chief, covering New York City for GlobeSt.com. Her background includes a stint at InStyle Magazine, and as managing editor with New York Press, an alternative weekly New York City paper. In her career, she has also covered a variety of beats for M magazine, Arthur Frommer's Budget Travel, FashionLedge.com, and Co-Ed magazine. Dolce has also freelanced for a number of publications, including MSNBC.com and Museums New York magazine.
