Cushman & Wakefield Lures Back Former Executive from Rival JLL to Steer Occupier Division

In a strategic leadership move aimed at capturing corporate tenant demand, Cushman & Wakefield has brought back industry veteran Tom Maloney to chair its occupier advisory services unit. Maloney joins from rival firm JLL, bringing decades of institutional expertise to a division under pressure to navigate corporate space needs amid widespread office market volatility.

According to Bisnow, Cushman & Wakefield announced Wednesday that Maloney has been rehired to lead the team dedicated to advising businesses on their office requirements. The appointment highlights the ongoing competition among top-tier brokerages to secure proven talent capable of securing and retaining space-hungry corporate clients.

Key Details

Executive: Tom Maloney has been appointed as the Chair of Occupier Advisory Services.

Previous Tenure: Maloney returns to Cushman & Wakefield following a recent stint at JLL. His career trajectory also includes time at Cassidy Turley and legacy firm DTZ, giving him deep historical roots within the Cushman & Wakefield ecosystem.

Division Focus: In this leadership capacity, Maloney will guide brokers and advisory staff who represent companies leasing office space. The unit focuses on structuring lease renewals, consolidations, and new space acquisitions for enterprise-level clients.

Timeline: The transition was officially announced via press release on Wednesday, with Maloney assuming the chairmanship immediately to help guide the firm's tenant representation strategy.

Market Context

The appointment arrives at a critical inflection point for the commercial real estate sector, specifically the office market. With national office vacancy rates hovering near 20% and companies continuing to mandate return-to-office policies for two to three days a week, the dynamics of tenant representation have fundamentally shifted.

Corporate tenants currently hold the upper hand in lease negotiations, demanding deep concessions, capital improvement allowances, and flexible lease terms. For a global brokerage like Cushman & Wakefield, having a seasoned navigator like Maloney at the helm of occupier services is a direct play to win mandates for large-scale corporate restructurings and downsizing events.

Maloney’s history with the legacy entities that eventually formed the modern Cushman & Wakefield provides immediate organizational trust. By leveraging his cross-platform experience—specifically the insights gained during his time at JLL—Cushman is positioning itself to offer aggressive, sophisticated advisory services to cost-conscious corporate clients.

Furthermore, this executive shuffle underscores a broader industry trend: brokerage firms are aggressively courting top-tier talent to stabilize revenue streams. While investment sales and capital markets divisions have slowed due to elevated interest rates, occupier services generate consistent cash flow through recurring lease transactions and renewals. Securing a veteran chair to lead this division signals that Cushman & Wakefield is focusing its immediate growth strategy on representing tenant interests in a heavily landlord-burdened market.