The Weekly Take from CBRE

One’s an office occupier—Orrick’s Laura Saklad—and the other’s an office investor—CBRE Investment Management’s Julie Ingersoll. From opposite sides of the table, they discuss how property investors and occupiers can work together to facilitate return-to-office strategies and make the workplace a magnet for talent attraction and retention.Insights to Share:·      Successful office occupancy strategies are about balancing employee flexibility with collaboration and professional development opportunities.·      The surrounding neighborhood is an important amenity for office space.·      The pandemic has brought landlords and tenants closer together, changing the relationship from adversarial to a partnership.Laura SakladChief Operations OfficerOrrickLaura is responsible for leading and directing all operational functions of Orrick, a law firm with more than 25 global offices. She works closely with the Orrick’s Board and Management Committee to execute the firm’s strategy. Julie IngersollChief Investment OfficerAmericas Direct Real Estate StrategiesCBRE Investment ManagementJulie joined the firm in October 2021 from CPP Investments, an approximately $500 billion Canadian Pension Plan, where she was Managing Director overseeing portfolio strategy design and execution for 50 million square feet of U.S. residential and retail investments. At CPP, Julie focused on core-plus, value-add and development risk profiles, leading efforts across the investment lifecycle from identifying new strategies, originating and structuring joint ventures, acquisitions, asset management and dispositions.

Marc Ganzi, CEO at DigitalBridge, and Pat Lynch from CBRE discuss the growth and opportunities in the digital infrastructure industry, the trade-off between latency and location in data centers, the concept of hybrid cloud and the challenges of power constraints, the recent acquisition of Switch for $11 billion, and strategies to address water scarcity in data centers.

The Executive Director of the Port of Los Angeles and a representative from South Carolina Ports discuss the impact of the pandemic on seaports and the resurgence of trade activity. They explore strategies to alleviate congestion, the fluctuations in shipping container costs, challenges of finding land near ports, and the importance of workforce in the shipping industry. The podcast also touches on the changing manufacturing landscape in the US and upcoming episodes on data centers and disruptive entrepreneurship.

Former Fortune 500 CEOs, Oscar Munoz and Sol Trujillo, discuss their experiences in business transformation and leadership while embracing their Hispanic heritage. They highlight the economic power of Latinos and the importance of celebrating Latino heritage. They also discuss the use of street slang to connect with workers, bridging societal divides through heritage, and the value of self-awareness. The podcast concludes with advice on being true to oneself, giving back, and embracing diversity.

Tech leaders from Blackstone and CBRE discuss the integration of AI in the real estate industry, exploring its potential to enhance efficiency, reduce energy consumption, and improve workplace experiences. They delve into the concept of PropTech and its significance in real estate, showcasing its applications in building management and tenant management platforms. The speakers emphasize the importance of data in commercial real estate and highlight its role in efficiency, productivity, and providing valuable insights. They provide advice for partnering with Blackstone and CBRE in the technology prop tech space.

Jacob Morgan, futurist and author of Leading with Vulnerability, discusses the importance of leading with vulnerability in different industries and job functions. He explores the relationship between vulnerability and productivity, and shares a CEO's journey of rebuilding trust after a major mistake. Morgan also highlights the impact of fatherhood on embracing vulnerability and teases upcoming episodes on data centers, serial entrepreneurship, and business lessons from adventure travelers.

Siting a manufacturing plant or warehouse is a supreme challenge in today’s economy. TreeHouse Foods’ David Varalli and CBRE’s Seth Martindale and A.J. Magner offer insights on balancing infrastructure, labor and resource availability, automation and costs in site selection and deciding whether to lease or own.

The competition to attract and retain skilled labor has intensified, but what if your best candidates never know about your business? Project Destined’s Cedric Bobo and CBRE’s Toya Everett discuss how they are increasing awareness of commercial real estate careers—particularly in underrepresented communities—and creating more grassroots training and mentorship.

PGIM Real Estate's Cathy Marcus discusses investment opportunities in multifamily, industrial, and retail sectors. The podcast explores the differences in the current market situation compared to past crises and the importance of global consistency in investing infrastructure. The speakers also highlight the growth potential of data centers and the concept of double bottom line investing, with a focus on affordable housing. They discuss various types of housing affordability and investment opportunities, including low income housing tax credits and workforce housing.

Retired military officers Adam Rocke, Pat Rios, and Michelle Butters discuss how veterans benefit companies, transitioning from military to civilian life, personal stories, hiring veterans, wellness & work-life balance, and benefits of hiring veterans.