NEW YORK CITY—Giving its competitors a run for their money, JLL has hired Steven Robinson as a VP of retail brokerage here. Most recently a VP at CBRE, Robinson brings more than a decade of experience in Manhattan retail commercial real estate.

Meanwhile, the firm has hired Phil Kirschner as SVP of its workplace strategy. A veteran of more than 13 years, Kirshchner most recently led workplace strategies for the Americas at Credit Suisse.

In his new role, Robinson will be responsible for new business development, retail tenant representation and agency leasing services throughout the New York tri-state area. He has completed approximately 200,000 square feet in retail transactions and $500 million in investment sales throughout his career.

For his part, Kirschner is expected to help JLL clients in the Northeast create and implement innovative workplace strategies. Most recently, he led workplace strategy for the Americas and managed occupancy monitoring and visualization projects for the global corporate real estate portfolio of Credit Suisse, where he served for over 13 years.

“New York is a major target market for retailers, and it's critical that JLL has skilled experts on the ground, like Steven [Robinson], to support their expansion needs,” says Naveen Jaggi, president of retail brokerage for JLL. “Manhattan's thriving retail market shows no sign of slowing, and Steven's expertise will deepen JLL's already robust platform of services for new and existing clients.”

“Steven brings a strategic approach and strong track record of completing market-leading transactions in Manhattan for world-class retailers to JLL,” adds Robert Gibson, vice chairman of JLL retail brokerage in New York. “The relationships he has developed among New York's key players within retail scene will significantly enhance our existing retail service capabilities.”

The retail divisions of other marquee name firms have been beefing up lately. Steve Birkhold, former CEO of several well-known apparel brands, joined Cushman & Wakefield last week--though interestingly, he came over to the office space. The move follows the firm's hire last year of Laura Pomerantz. Also last week, Colliers International reportedly was ready to acquire retail brokerage firm RKF.

Meanwhile, JLL has taken a step forward on the workplace strategies front. Of Kirschner, JLL's Bernice Boucher, managing director, workplace strategy Americas, says, “Phil is a proven innovator and leader in workplace strategy and, with his data and analytics expertise, a valuable addition to our team. His expertise will help our clients create workplace strategies that deliver productivity and competitive advantage.”

Instant Insights /

JLL Bolsters Retail, Workplace Strategies Benches

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