8:00 AM
Newmark Grubb Knight Frank (NGKF) is pleased to announce the addition of eight professionals who will comprise the firm’s retail brokerage team specializing in the sale and leasing of suburban retail product in Southern California and the western region. Led by Executive Managing Director Pete Bethea, these professionals have completed transactions in excess of $2 billion over the past three years.
Joining Bethea on the NGKF Capital Markets bench are Senior Managing Director Rob Ippolito and Managing Director Glenn Rudy, who will continue their capital markets focus on selling shopping centers for institutional clients and public and private investment companies in key western markets. Senior Managing Directors John Jennings and Chris Walton will lead the leasing effort from their seats in San Diego and Newport Beach, respectively. The balance of the leasing platform includes Managing Director Aaron Hill and Associate Justin Wessel, out of NGKF’s San Diego office and Associate Kevin Hansen, who joins Walton in the firm’s Newport Beach office.
The combined leasing portfolio consists of over 9.3 million square feet covering a large portion of the region and throughout Southern California including San Diego, Orange County, Los Angeles and the Inland Empire. Indicative of the assemblage of talent is NGKF’s steadfast belief in combining leasing and capital markets sophistication and capability in a virtuous and collaborative manner, akin to how value is developed and realized for clients, while supporting the capital markets team on institutional investments sales and private capital investments.
Newmark Grubb Knight Frank President Jimmy Kuhn said, “Retail investors are much more selective about the quality and capability of brokerage professionals whom they hire, and appreciate the ability to develop and unlock value beginning to end. This roster of brokers has been very successful because of their collaborative methodology to incorporate leasing and investment strategy universally side by side. This new NGKF powerhouse retail advisory team will elevate the firm’s Southern California’s presence and is further evidence of NGKF’s commitment to expand all aspects of capital markets in a competitive market where the deployment of capital is brisk.”
Partners for over twenty years, Bethea, Jennings and Ippolito have built a strong reputation in the retail industry for delivering a client-centric model to the shopping center business and most previously served at Cushman & Wakefield. “Keeping an eye on our clients’ needs is our core focus,” said Jennings. “Our long-term relationships have been the lifeline of our business.”
“The move to NGKF was very strategic,” said Bethea. “We are exhilarated to leverage NGKF’s leadership and entrepreneurial culture, and believe that the firm’s business platform has not only proven itself in the current real estate cycle, but is poised to thrive in the coming cycles as well.”
“These new NGKF retail brokers have established an excellent reputation over the years and we are looking forward to bolstering NGKF’s retail presence in Southern California as well as the western states,” said Greg May, executive vice president, regional managing director, NGKF. “Our firm’s objective is to enable clients to maximize an asset’s value during every stage of ownership, and this team’s combined leasing and capital markets expertise will give clients the service they want.”
About Newmark Grubb Knight Frank
Newmark Grubb Knight Frank is one of the world’s leading commercial real estate advisory firms. Together with London-based partner Knight Frank and independently-owned offices, NGKF’s 12,800 professionals operate from more than 370 offices in established and emerging property markets on six continents.
With roots dating back to 1929, NGKF’s strong foundation makes it one of the most trusted names in commercial real estate. NGKF’s full-service platform comprises BGC’s real estate services segment, offering commercial real estate tenants, landlords, investors and developers a wide range of services including leasing; capital markets services, including investment sales, debt placement, appraisal, and valuation services; commercial mortgage brokerage services; as well as corporate advisory services, consulting, project and development management, and property and corporate facilities management services. For further information, visit www.ngkf.com.
NGKF is a part of BGC Partners, Inc., a leading global brokerage company servicing the financial and real estate markets. BGC’s common stock trades on the NASDAQ Global Select Market under the ticker symbol (NASDAQ: BGCP). BGC also has an outstanding bond issuance of Senior Notes due June 15, 2042, which trade on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol (NYSE: BGCA). BGC Partners is led by Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Howard W. Lutnick. For more information, please visit www.bgcpartners.com.