US-headquartered global professional body, the Society of Industrial and Office Realtors (SIOR), has made Robert Thornburgh its new leader.
The appointment has been welcomed by SIOR Europe president, Paul Danks, who said the association was well placed to embrace positive change.
In Europe, the organisation has around 150 members in 20 European countries. Members include the likes of Carter Jonas, CBRE, Cushman & Wakefield, Colliers, Gerald Eve, Prologis, Savills, Axi Immo of Poland and Ceusters in the Benelux region.
The association is pushing for growth in Europe to close the gap on the approximately 3,300 members in the US.
Thornburgh is a previous global president of SIOR who is based in Los Angeles. He is best known for his time at Kidder Mathews, where he was a long-time shareholder and regional president of brokerage.
Danks noted, 'As the real estate sector re-aligns itself in response to macro issues such as sustainability, diversity, technology and staff wellbeing, professional associations are increasingly influential in terms of advocating for change, promoting best practise and assessing the impact upon occupier demand markets.'
‘It is with immense pleasure that I accept the role of SIOR chief executive officer,’ said Thornburgh. ‘Being an SIOR has been one of the most rewarding aspects of my career, so I am thrilled to have this unique opportunity to contribute in forward-thinking ways to this amazing organisation and the broader commercial real estate industry that I care so deeply about.’
He replaces Tom McCormick who announced late in 2019 plans to step down.
Over the course of his time as CEO, SIOR said it has reached its highest levels of membership ever.
