JLL named Siddharth N. (Bobby) Mehta chairman of the board of directors effective June 1, 2020. Mehta succeeds Sheila A. Penrose, who joined the board in 2002 and has held the chairman role since 2005. Penrose will remain on the board as an independent director and chair of the nominating and governance committee.
“It has been a privilege to serve as the chairman of Jones Lang LaSalle Incorporated as it has grown into one of the world’s most respected and successful real estate companies,” said Penrose. “I am proud of the diverse composition of our board and the wealth of valuable perspectives each of our directors brings. Bobby adds to the board’s deep understanding of financial services and the key role of technology in business and the real estate industry, through his CEO and public company director experience. I look forward to supporting him in his role as chairman as he leads the board of JLL to a long and prosperous future.”
Mehta joined the JLL board of directors, in July 2019, as an independent director, and serves on the audit and nominating and governance committees. He has extensive expertise and senior management experience in the financial services industry, including having served, from 2007 through 2012, as president and chief executive officer of TransUnion LLC, a global provider of credit information and risk management solutions. Prior to TransUnion, from 1998 to 2007, Mehta held a variety of positions with HSBC Finance Corporation and HSBC North America Holdings, Inc., including chairman and chief executive officer of HSBC North America Holdings, Inc. and chief executive officer of HSBC Finance Corporation. He currently serves on the boards of the Allstate Corporation, Northern Trust, TransUnion, Entrust Datacard Corporation and Amount.
Mehta is also a member of the non-profit boards of the Field Museum and the Chicago Public Education Fund. He holds a bachelor of arts in economics from the London School of Economics and a master of business administration from the University of Chicago.
“I am honored to assume the role of chairman of the JLL board of directors and look forward to continuing the legacy of strong leadership and stewardship established by Sheila over the past 15 years in her service as chairman,” said Mehta. “In these uncertain times we will continue to adhere to our principles of transparency and ethical governance, focus on our commitment to diversity and inclusion, and lead at the intersection between technology and real estate.”
“Bobby’s extensive experience with financial services firms and their use of technology will help guide JLL’s continued growth,” said Christian Ulbrich, CEO of JLL. “The strategy he brings to the chairman role will help us strengthen our keen focus on providing superior services to our clients and to shaping the future of real estate for a better world. I am grateful to Sheila for her leadership and counsel, and appreciate her dedication to JLL over many years, including through this planned transition.”
In addition to Mehta, Penrose and Ulbrich, current members of JLL’s board of directors include Hugo Bagué, Matthew Carter, Jr., Samuel A. DiPiazza, Jr., Ming Lu, Deborah H. McAneny, Bridget Macaskill, Martin H. Nesbitt, Jeetendra (Jeetu) I. Patel and Ann Marie Petach.
