CBRE appoints Chris Connelly as global president for asset services and investor leasing

CBRE has appointed Chris Connelly as global president, asset services and investor leasing, two key global business lines that serve the property management and leasing requirements of real estate investors around the world.

CBRE’s asset services business provides property management services for approximately three billion square feet of commercial property. Investor leasing provides property leasing and marketing services across all commercial real estate asset classes. Connelly will also oversee the asset services and investor leasing business lines in the Americas, in addition to globally.

“Chris is the perfect person to build on our market-leading property management and leasing services. His deep market insight and leadership skills are highly regarded by our professionals and our clients,” said Jack Durburg, global chief operating officer, CBRE. “I am looking forward to his leadership in driving operational excellence and exceptional outcomes for our investor clients and our people.”

A long-time leader for CBRE in the Americas region, Connelly brings a broad range of experience to his new leadership position. Previously he served as president of mountain northwest division, overseeing CBRE’s operations in the Bay Area, Sacramento/Reno, Seattle, Portland, Phoenix/Tucson, Denver, Salt Lake City, Las Vegas and Albuquerque. Prior to that role, Connelly led CBRE’s Midwest division, which includes Chicago, Detroit, Milwaukee, Kansas City, St. Louis, Cleveland, Cincinnati, Columbus, Indianapolis, Minneapolis and Louisville.

Earlier, he held various leadership positions of increasing responsibility for CBRE in the Chicago area, including leading the company’s downtown Chicago office. In 2011, Connelly took over responsibility for leading the greater Chicago region as executive managing director, before being promoted to president for the Midwest division in 2015. He began his career at Jones Lang LaSalle, specializing in industrial, land and office brokerage.

Connelly received a B.S. in Finance from the University of Illinois. In his new role, Connelly will report to Durburg and remain based in Chicago.