Colliers Promotes Sam Harvey-Jones to APAC Chief Operating Officer

Colliers International on Monday announced the promotion of Sam Harvey-Jones to chief operating officer for Asia Pacific, effective from the first day of 2022.

Hong Kong-based Harvey-Jones has served as Colliers’ managing director of occupier services in Asia for six years and will report to the company’s Asia Pacific chief executive John Kenny in the new role, the property consultancy said in a release.

The industry veteran will be responsible for executing Colliers’ ’25 Enterprise Blueprint which aims to double the Toronto-based firm’s profitability by 2025 by working collaboratively with the agency’s market leaders across APAC and capitalising on growth opportunities in the region.

“The knowledge and experience that Sam brings to this strategic role will continue to accelerate our growth, attract market-leading experts and expand our client relationships,” Kenny said. “With his extensive background working with multinational organisations and deep global real estate and business experience, he will bring a wealth of knowledge to this key strategic role. Sam is a great example of someone who is accelerating their career at Colliers.”

Baxter Exits

Harvey-Jones takes the COO reins from Paul Baxter, who joined workplace design firm Unispace In October as chief executive for Asia. Singapore-based Baxter had served as Colliers’ chief operating officer for APAC since last year and held the same title for Asia since 2014.

In his current role, Harvey-Jones has worked with multinational organisations across a variety of industries, including Novartis, Cognizant, Pfizer, Ipsos and Citi, helping occupier services become one of Colliers’ most successful businesses in APAC, the agency said.

Before joining Colliers in 2015, Harvey-Jones spent nine years at rival CBRE in Hong Kong, where his last job was co-head of office occupier services for Asia. His earlier experience includes three years as a senior negotiator for Knight Frank in London.

A politics graduate of Durham University, Harvey-Jones also holds a master’s degree in property valuation and law from City University London.

Signs Pointing Up

Colliers’ latest personnel move comes as property agencies are beefing up their regional teams amid a recent rebound as the COVID-19 pandemic shifts from full-blown crisis to manageable threat.

Toronto-based Colliers said third-quarter revenue in Asia Pacific totalled $172.3 million, up 56 percent year-on-year. Revenue growth was robust across all service lines and geographies, especially in Australia and New Zealand, compared with the COVID-hit prior-year results.

Adjusted EBITDA in the quarter reached $20.7 million, up 62 percent year-on-year, with the improvement in margin attributable to operating leverage. Operating earnings were $18.3 million, up from $8.5 million a year earlier.

“It is an exciting time to become chief operating officer for Asia Pacific,” Harvey-Jones said. “With our enterprising culture and proven track record in this dynamic and fast-growing region, I look forward to continuing to accelerate Colliers’ growth to lead our industry into the future.”