Walker & Dunlop Makes “Game-Changing” Acquisition of AKS Capital

Walker & Dunlop has acquired AKS Capital Partners, the advisory firm launched last summer by a four-member team from JLL. The AKS team, led by partners Aaron Appel, Keith Kurland, Jonathan Schwartz and Adam Schwartz, will join Walker & Dunlop as senior managing directors and co-heads of the New York capital markets practice.

The AKS team ranks as one of the highest producing debt and equity advisors in the country, responsible for originations valued in excess of $50 billion of debt and equity financing for owner-operators of commercial real estate properties across the country.

Willy Walker, chairman and CEO of Walker & Dunlop, called the AKS acquisition “a game-changing addition that will propel the growth in our debt brokerage originations in 2020 and beyond.” He added that the addition of the team “solidifies our presence in the most active commercial real estate market in the United States, advances the array of financing and equity solutions we offer to our institutional clients, and in particular strengthens our debt brokerage capabilities beyond the multifamily asset class. We are very excited to welcome Aaron, Keith, Jonathan, Adam, and the entire AKS team to Walker & Dunlop.”

Appel added, “We couldn’t be happier about joining Walker & Dunlop. In six short months, fueled by acumen and energy, we have catapulted our firm into one of the leading operations of its kind in the country and have participated in closing some of the largest deals of 2019. Together with the capabilities and strength of Walker & Dunlop, our growth expectations are boundless.”

Pictured, at top: Willy Walker. Above left: Aaron Appel. Above right: Keith Kurland. Lower left: Jonathan Schwartz. Lower right: Adam Schwartz.

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