REAL ESTATE - LaSalle Investment Management, a member of the Jones Lang LaSalle Group, has appointed Jeff Jacobson as its new CEO.

He succeeds the firm's retiring current chief executive, Chigaco, America-based Lynn Thurber, who will remain involved with the company as the new chairman.

Jacobson, now European chief executive officer at LaSalle's London office, will take up his new position from December 31.

Thurber, who has been the firm's chief executive officer since March 2000, she will retire from the day-to-day management.

From January 1 next year she will focus on further developing the firm's client relationships, providing guidance and advice to LaSalle's senior management team and continuing to serve on selected investment committees and advisory boards, the company said.

Jacobson, who has spent the last 16 years with the firm, has been LaSalle's European regional CEO since June 2000. He will remain based in London.

Thurber has been an executive at LaSalle since 1994; previously she was CEO of Alex Brown, Kleinwort Benson Realty Advisors.