Knight Frank Hires Danny Zheng as Director of Capital Markets for Shanghai

Knight Frank has hired former Sunac and CBRE executive Danny Zheng as director of capital markets for Shanghai, according to a company announcement.

In his new role as a director with the UK-based firm, Zheng will be working with Knight Frank’s Greater China investment team to serve developers and investors in the region, as well as taking responsibility for cross-border transactions.

“Shanghai is my hometown, I’m happy to come back home and looking forward to a successful brokerage career with Knight Frank,” Zheng told Mingtiandi.

The Fudan University graduate is taking up his new role after spending a year and a half as investment director for South China at developer Sunac, where he managed the Hong Kong-listed firm’s investment and transaction business across the Greater Bay Area.

Returning From a US Sojourn

Prior to joining the Tianjin-based builder, Zheng had spent several years in the US. From 2015 to 2017 the executive served as managing partner for LA-based commercial real estate brokerage 3 Block Realty, and also worked as a managing director at New York-based real estate banking firm Carlton Group.

Before heading to the US, Zheng spent three years with the investment team at CBRE in Shanghai, covering transactions across China and the US.

Zheng also did a stint as an associate director with the investment team at Colliers International in Shanghai from 2010 to 2011.

This latest appointment adds another senior member to Knight Frank’s mainland China team after Ying Shin Lee came aboard last month as managing director of its Shanghai office.

Lee, who joined after nearly a decade with GE’s global real estate team, also serves as head of industrial for China at the property services firm.