The local/global format
is “the best of both
worlds. We wanted to
have a strong global
platform and deeper
services within our
business areas.”
THOMAS HYNES
CEO,
COLLIERS MEREDITH & GREW
we’re absolutely committed to investing in
the corporate solutions space and the
investor service space.”
Last September, Colliers hired industry
veteran Scott Nelson as president of client
solution design, part of the firm’s global
workplace solutions division. “Our strategy is
to design more of a customized solution for
each client, as opposed to the one-size-fits-all
model that some of our competitors have
taken on,” says the Atlanta-based Nelson.
“The overall model is to understand how the
client makes money and spends money, and
how we can design a real estate solution that
actually accelerates its business plan.”
Corporate clients at present are focused
on “cost reduction and rationalization of the
portfolio,” Nelson says. “We’re coming up
with creative scenario planning on what we
can do within a portfolio to reduce the costs
and do more with less. We’re spending a lot
the cycle, he says, “The
property manager is the
most important person.
People are looking for
someone with market
expertise, who is able to
help guide the asset on a
local basis. That hasn’t
been done before.
Typically, you have an
asset management depart-
ment and a property man-
agement department.”
on how to best run the properties from an
operational standpoint.”
In his view, that’s not only
running the buildings,
but also “getting out and
understanding the com-
petition: touring the prop-
erty next door, under-
standing how the vacancies
work. What are their
vacancies and how do they
handle them? I’ll bet if
you survey every manager
in the country, nobody
says that. You have to know
what your competition is
doing.”
On the investment
sales side, Frye says, “We
have a capital markets
expert or team in every major city in the
world. It operates as the
Global Investment Sales
Team. They communi-
cate on a regular basis
and monitor the flows of
capital so that we can
maximize the opportuni-
ties on both the buy and
sell side for clients.”
York. We’re focused on growing that space
and making an impact on what’s already a
very successful organization. As we acceler-
ate out of this cycle, we see the opportu-
nity to capture significant market share
with these additional investments.”
Frye says over the past 12 months Colliers
has been picking up significant market
share, “and we expect that to continue. The
majority of it, 60% to 70%, will be organic.
The balance will be acquisitions. The mar-
ket will continue to consolidate and there
will be opportunities. But our platform is
largely built out.”
Taylor points to the impending rebrand
of the local offices as well as the service
divisions. “We have tremendous integrated
capabilities that will be rebranded Colliers
International,” he says. There’s a big US
ad campaign planned to build brand
awareness, “and I think we’ll get a big
splash there.”
He notes that in the most recent
Commercial Real Estate Top Brands Survey
“The overall model is
to understand how
the client makes and
spends money, and
how we can design
a solution that
accelerates its
business plan.”
SCOTT NELSON
PRESIDENT,
CLIENT SOLUTION DESIGN
At this point in the cycle,
“the property manager
is the most important
person in the world.
People are looking for
someone with market
expertise.”
MIKE KENT
PRESIDENT,
US PROPERTY MANAGEMENT
of time with clients on that specific area.”
Another recent hire, Mike Kent, was
brought in from Rreef to run the US prop-
erty management division. At this point in
conducted by the Lipsey Co., “we were
moved up the totem pole from third most
recognized brand to the second.” Colliers is
tied with Cushman & Wakefield for second
place in the independent Lipsey survey con-
ducted after the merger was announced;
both firms come in behind CBRE. “We’re
excited about the prospects of even going
up from there, given the brand commitment
and splash we’re going to make in 2010.”
Frye sees the integration as the culmina-
tion of a process that’s been under way
since the 1970s. “This organization has
come together over 30 years through
enterprising, entreprenurial and energetic
people,” he says. “It’s been a long process.
Culturally, what I see every day here is that
people come together because they share
a vision of how they want to interface with
the client. So the concept of accelerating
the success of our clients is core to us, and
we expect great things here.” ◆
