Elcock Named President of Colliers International Boston

James Elcock, president, Colliers International, Boston

BOSTON—Veteran real estate executive James Elcock has been appointed president of Colliers International Boston and will also head brokerage operations for the Greater Boston market for the firm. Elcock, a member of the Colliers Boston Executive Committee, replaces Ron Perry as president of Colliers International, Boston, who has left the firm. Perry had been with Colliers International Boston since 1984. In a telephone interview, Tom Hynes , co-chairman and CEO, Colliers International Boston, tells Globest.com, “Jim is an absolute star both personally and professionally. He’s had a distinguished career working with clients, both landlords and tenants, as well as a long history working with non-profits and religious organizations in monetizing excess real estate assets.” Elcock, who has been with Colliers International Boston since 1984, co-led the suburban brokerage team for many years and has completed more than 750 tenant representation transactions totalling more than 8 million square feet. Previous to his appointment, Elcock served as managing partner and executive vice president for Colliers International Boston. The three senior officers of Colliers International Boston now are Kevin Phelan , co-chairman and head of capital markets, Hynes, co-chairman and CEO and Elcock as president and head of brokerage. “We could not be more excited about Jim’s strong leadership and high integrity which has been a hallmark of our business for over a century,” Hynes adds. “We look forward to continued growth in the months and years ahead.” The change in the executive suite at Colliers International Boston continues what has been a transient period for the Boston commercial brokerage business of late. In February, a three person multifamily team of Christopher Sower, Jennifer Price and Maggie Collins of Boston Realty Advisors joined Colliers International Boston. Recently, however, a Colliers team that focuses on the Cambridge market—Joe Flaherty, Brian Flaherty, Ben Coffin and Tucker Hansen—left the brokerage firm to join competitor JLL, according to a report in the Boston Business Journal. While not discussing the other comings and goings at the firm, Hynes stresses that the firm is continuing to recruit to add personnel at its headquarters at 160 Federal St. The firm employs a total of 150 workers in its different disciplines of valuation, project management, brokerage, asset management and capital markets. Hynes is bullish about the future prospects of the Boston-Cambridge marketplace, noting that companies, such as General Electric, are attracted to the region to take advantage of its “intellectual capital.” He describes the current Boston investment sales market as “staggering,” noting, “Any property worth its salt going on the market gets multiple offers and I mean like 10 to 30 qualified buyers looking at an individual property; easily making offers that are setting record prices in terms of office buildings, residential properties or development sites.” He did relate, however, that there is some consolidation taking place in Boston, particularly in the healthcare and legal sectors, by firms seeking to optimise and make their operations more efficient.