Magner to Head C&W’s DC Office

WASHINGTON, DC-Cushman & Wakefield has tapped former Spaulding & Slye executive William Magner to head its DC office. The spot was vacated by James M. Underhill, who was named CEO of the Americas in November 2010. Underhill, who is also based in the DC office, is leading the firm’s operations in the United States, Canada, Mexico, Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru and Venezuela, reporting  directly to Glenn Rufrano, the firm’s president and CEO.  

Magner was one of the lead executives at Spaulding & Slye, a Boston-based real estate services firm that was acquired by Jones Lang LaSalle in 2006. As director of transactional services, Magner was among five of the top executives in the firm that transferred to Jones Lang LaSalle. He left JLL on good terms after three years. He is now rejoining the commercial real estate industry.

“This new opportunity with C&W intrigued me for a host of reasons,” Magner tells GlobeSt.com. “For one, there is the talent at the company and its great growth potential.” He has also been a colleague of Underhill for many years. His first day will be January 18.

One week away from his first day on the job, Magner is reluctant to speak in specifics other than to say he expects to see C&W’s product offerings broadened and strengthened under his tenure. “One challenge in general is that there is a lot of money, as we all know, still sitting on the sidelines,” he says. “These investors are starting to think seriously about investing it and one of the natural places for them to do so will be the Washington, DC area.” 

C&W had been conducting a search for Underhill’s replacement ever since his appointment in November. “I would characterize it as a quick and successful search,” Underhill tells GlobeSt.com. “Bill was a lead, or even the lead, for much of that time.” 

One reason is that the firm wanted someone who had a proven track record in growing a company in a manner consistent with C&W’s five-year strategic plan, Underhill says. “Bill brought that to the table.” He adds that the company expects to continue to make strategic hires for the DC area. “It is a very important market for the firm.”