Cushman & Wakefield promotes John Forrester to global president

Cushman & Wakefield announced several changes at the head of the EMEA region, in line with its strategy of transformation of the real estate industry, and two years after the merger of the group with DTZ.

John Forrester, chief executive EMEA, has been named global president. Colin Wilson becomes CEO of EMEA, George Roberts heads to the United Kingdom and Ireland. Their functions will be effective as of Dec. 1, 2017.

As global president, Forrester will provide operational leadership and management for the company’s four global regions: Americas, EMEA, APAC and Greater China. He will also be responsible for the development of service offerings in order to respond in real time to the ever-changing needs of the firm’s customers. He will work in London.

Prior to the merger, Forrester was EMEA CEO at DTZ, which he joined in 1988. He also served as chief executive of DTZ Holdings plc, and led the process of transferring the DTZ Group to the Australian ASU, in 2011.

Wilson joined DTZ in 1996, before being appointed head of the United Kingdom and Ireland in 2012. Since the merger, he has developed the United Kingdom and Ireland business by creating new service offerings., He was also a member of the EMEA board. An avid ambassador for diversity and inclusion in the corporate real estate industry, he launched the Inspire / Cushman & Wakefield Diversity and Inclusion initiative in the United Kingdom last year.

Roberts was previously head of the London Markets department, including the occupy representation, agency, capital markets, residential and development teams. It has boosted the growth of its division, at the center of some of London’s most iconic projects this year. Prior to leading London markets, Roberts developed the “occupying representation” team, which has been advising some pre-rentals in London in recent years.