CHICAGO-Gregory Vorwaller, who could be called the six billion dollar man as he has been responsible for that much in property sales, debt financings and sale/leaseback transactions, has jumped ship. He has shed his titles as COO of CB Richard Ellis Capital Markets and president of the firm’s Investment Properties Group to become global head of Cushman & Wakefield’s Capital Markets division.

Vorwaller has about 30 years in the industry, most with CBRE, where he has focused on advising institutional investors on investment strategies, structured finance, real estate securitization and property sales. He was promoted to the CBRE president position in June 1999, where he was also instrumental in forming the company’s Senior Housing Group.

 At C&W, he’ll be responsible for a division that completed sales and financing transactions valued at more than $31 billion in 2009. The Capital Markets Group handles representation of third-party investors in the acquisition, disposition, financing and recapitalization of commercial real estate worldwide. “This is a market in transition, and the firms that emerge as leaders will be the ones that help their clients navigate the changes and capitalize on emerging opportunities,” Vorwaller said in a statement. He will be based in Chicago.

A CBRE spokesman tells GlobeSt.com that Brian Stoffers, who has served as president of the Capital Markets for the past five years, will continue to lead the division. “We wish Greg well. We expect to announce a new executive under Brian to oversee our investment sales practice in the near future. In the meantime, our clients will continue to be served by the industry’s finest capital markets professionals, who have achieved for CB Richard Ellis the number-one market share in both investment sales and financing,” the spokesman says.