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Robert Knakal Lands at JLL After CushWake Departure

Investment sales leader Robert Knakal joined JLL to lead its NY investment team. The more than 35-year commercial real estate veteran left Cushman & Wakefield earlier this summer and had been in talks with several brokerage firms.

Robert Knakal

Knakal revealed the move in a Tweet, saying “Excited to announce I’ve joined @JLL as Chairman of #NewYork Investment Sales,” adding, “…he chose @JLL because of its rich history, culture of collaboration, integration and synergy and proprietary technology.”

The addition is a significant boost to JLL’s investment sales footprint in NY.

JLL’s Peter Riguardi says, “We’re really excited to have Bob Knakal join the JLL team together and in partnership with Mo Beler. We expect that they will grow our market share Investment Sales by providing tremendous service to their clients. We will blend the Investment Sales business with Aaron Appel’s finance business to have a market leadership team.”

He added, “We have heard for too long that sales assignments are being given to teams ‘who are up next or it’s their turn.’ With our familiarity with the NY landlord community because of our market leading tenant rep business and our leading agency business, we are planning on working those businesses together with our finance and sales business to change landlord’s decisions to be around ‘who can get the best price for my building.'”

Knakal’s focus is on middle-market deals under $100 million, though he indicates deals will be pursued above that level. Knakal’s career transaction volume encompasses more than 1,864 building sales, valued at in excess of $18 billion. Knakal also expects his 12-person team at Cushman & Wakefield to join him at JLL.

Knakal and Paul Massey founded Massey Knakal Realty Advisors in 1988, which after a more than 26-year run was acquired by Cushman & Wakefield in 2014, reportedly for $100 million. He entered the CRE industry in 1981 as a market research intern at Coldwell Banker.

For comments, questions or concerns, please contact Dennis Kaiser

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About Dennis Kaiser

Dennis Kaiser is Vice President of Public Relations and Communications for Connect Creative. Dennis is a communications leader with more than 40 years of experience including as a journalist and in corporate and agency marketing communications roles. He is responsible for Connect Creative’s agency client services and is involved in a range of initiatives ranging from public relations and content strategy, communications and message development, copywriting, media relations, social media and content marketing services. Prior to joining Connect Media in 2015, his most recent corporate communications roles involved leading a regional public relations effort across Southern California for CBRE, playing a key marketing role on JLL’s national retail team, and directing the global public relations effort at ValleyCrest (BrightView), the nation’s largest commercial landscape services company. He has worked on marketing communications assignments for such CRE companies as Blackstone/Equity Office, Carlyle, Caruso, Disney Resorts, GE Capital, Irvine Company, Hines, Howard Hughes Corp., Jeffries, Lennar, MGM, Marcus & Millichap, Prologis, Raleigh Studios, Simon, Starwood, Trammell Crow Company, Transamerica, UBS and Wynn Resorts. Dennis has also worked on communications and launch strategies for a number of consumer electronic, media and tech brands including SlingMedia, Channel Master, Deluxe Media Entertainment, BeIn Sports, EchoStar and Sprint. Dennis’s agency background included firms such as Off Madison Ave., Idea Hall and Macy + Associates. He has earned an outstanding reputation with organization leaders as a trusted advisor, strategic program implementer, consensus builder and exceptional collaborator. Dennis has developed and managed national communications programs for Fortune 500 companies to start-ups, both public and private. He’s successfully worked with journalists across the globe representing clients involved in major-breaking news stories, product launches, media tours, and company news announcements. Dennis has been involved in a host of charitable and community organizations including the American Cancer Society, Easter Seals, Boy Scouts, Chrysalis Foundation, Freedom For Life, HOLA, L.A.’s BEST, Reach Out and Read, Super Bowl Host Committee, and the Thunderbirds Charities.

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