SAN DIEGO, CA—James Underhill has been named chief executive officer of Cresa, the world's largest commercial real estate firm focused solely on advising tenants and occupiers of space.

Setting a bold objective of doubling Cresa's staff and revenue within five years, Underhill will focus on the firm's growth in key domestic and global markets, bolstering capabilities in select industry sectors, and enhancing the firm's integrated service lines and specialty practices. He is committed to “furthering the firm's leadership as an innovator and thought leader in the tenant advisory space.”

Underhill, who will be based in Cresa's Washington, D.C., office, replaces Richard Rhodes, who became Cresa's interim CEO in 2015. Rhodes continues to serve on the executive committee and the firm's Board of Directors, along with being a managing principal of Cresa Washington DC. Most recently, Underhill was strategic advisor on Cresa's Board of Directors. Before that, he was CEO of the Americas at Cushman & Wakefield, the world's largest, full-service, privately held real estate services firm. Previously, he was founder and president of The Staubach Company – Northeast, which grew to become the company's largest region before its sale to Jones Lang LaSalle in 2008.