Wednesday, March 01, 2006

Jones Lang LaSalle


EXCLUSIVE: CBRE Promotes Gell, Fiddle to Vice Chairman Roles
By Barbara Jarvie


Last updated: February 27, 2006 12:27pm
NEW YORK CITY-CB Richard Ellis has promoted both Brian D. Gell and Howard Fiddle to serve in the role of vice chairman. There are approximately 2,200 brokers working at CBRE, and fewer than 20 hold this rank. Both were promoted from the title of executive vice president.

Gell, a 22-year commercial real estate veteran, has spent his entire career at CB Richard Ellis and its predecessor companies and now joins the firm’s New York Tri-State Region executive leadership. Eighteen-year veteran Howard Fiddle also joins the ranks of the firm’s executive leadership in the Tri-State Region.

Gell has most recently been responsible for leasing more than one million sf of office space at 111 Eighth Ave. Other notable recent transactions include representing Ziff Brothers Investments in the leasing of 156,000 sf at 350 Park Ave.; nonprofit the Association for the Help of Retarded Children in its purchase of the 175,000-sf 83 Maiden Lane; and law firm Greenberg Traurig in a 240,000-sf expansion and renewal at 200 Park Ave. "Brian enjoys long-time, close relationships with corporate
Fiddle
and not-for-profit customers that rely on him to develop and execute their real estate strategies," says Mary Ann Tighe, CEO of CB Richard Ellis’ New York Tri-State Region. "He is equally skilled at positioning properties in the marketplace."

During the last five years, Fiddle has completed transactions comprising more than five million sf. Significant recent transactions on the agency side completed within the last 12 months include Citigroup’s 268,000-sf lease at 787 Seventh Ave. on behalf of AXA Equitable Life and Bowne’s 224,000-sf lease at 55 Water St. for Retirement Systems of Alabama. On the tenant side, Fiddle recently represented Bloomberg LP in two transactions, one for 200,000 sf in New Jersey and the other for 300,000 sf at 340 West St. "Howard is not only a star at representing tenants, he is also a leader at achieving maximum asset value on behalf of owners. His significant success at such properties as 787 Seventh Ave., 55 Water St. and 40 West 57th St. is a testament to his strengths as a top real estate professional," adds Tighe.