Jones Lang LaSalle has appointed Bernard Poliquin, the former president of JLL in Canada as the new president of firm’s NSW business.
Poliquin has more than 17 years experience in the property sector primarily in the leasing, tenant representation, investment sales and asset management field. He was appointed the president of JLL’s Canadian operations in 2003, where he lead a team of 125 and successfully increased revenues threefold over three years.
JLL’s Australian chief executive Christine Bartlett said the similarities between Canada and Australia property markets were an advantage in the recruitment process.
“Canada and Australian commercial property markets are both mature, highly transparent markets with solid leasing demand and increasingly sophisticated investors, low interest rate environment, strong levels of foreign investment interest and declining yields.
“While Australia has a longer exposure to LPT structures, demand in both markets has been driven by the radical growth in superannuation and pension funds in the last 15 years,” she added.
The appointment comes about as John Talbot, JLL’s NSW managing director was appointed as the firm’s new Australian head of capital markets.
Poliquin said Australia is an attractive place of employment due to the size and maturity of the market.
“The Australian property market is considered a vibrant, mature and highly transparent commercial property market. Experience in the country would be considered an asset in terms of pursing a global career, as evidenced by the number of Australian employees being recruited for overseas markets,” he added.
Another recent senior promotion within the firm has been Jeff Pond to national head of industrial services. Pond had lead the NSW business over the last four years, replacing Glenn Sommer who has retired.
By Nelson Yap