Global Real Estate leader acquires remaining 20 percent ownership interest in Cushman &
Wakefield South America from Semco Group
New York, Feb. 6, 2007---In a strategic move that completes its Americas platform and enhances
global services to clients, Cushman & Wakefield announced today it has acquired the
ownership interest of a longtime partner to assume full control of Cushman & Wakefield
South America.
Cushman & Wakefield, which already owned 80 percent of its South American operations,
purchased the remaining 20 percent ownership interest in the firm's South American operations
from Sao Paulo-based Semco Group. Cushman & Wakefield and Semco had been in a partnership
for the past 12 years.
With offices in Sao Paulo (the headquarters for Central and South America), Rio de Janeiro,
Manaus and Buenos Aires, and operations in Chile, Venezuela, Colombia, Peru and Ecuador,
Cushman & Wakefield South America has more than 2,300 employees in the region.
"This reflects on our strategy to achieve 50 percent of our revenues from outside the
U.S., through selective but aggressive acquisitions where the market and cultural fit is
strong," said Cushman & Wakefield President and CEO Bruce Mosler.
In the past two years, Cushman & Wakefield has fully acquired its market-leading Canada
and Russia operations, and assumed a 100 percent interest in its powerful Mexico
operations.
The firm's objective with this acquisition is to increase local investments and to
strengthen its presence in South America, at a time when an increasing number of corporate
clients have requirements in the region.
"This is a key move to fully integrate our service platform throughout North and South
America," said Tony Marano, CEO, Americas. "From an outright ownership position, we
will seek to accelerate our expansion and delivery of service offerings to meet the diverse
needs of our clients."
In the South American region, Cushman & Wakefield manages a 70 million square foot
portfolio of corporate and industrial properties, with assets valued around R$10 billion and
negotiated transactions involving assets of more than R$500 million last year.
"Cushman & Wakefield was the pioneer in Brazil to introduce the concept of
professional asset management services," said Celina Antunes, the CEO of Cushman &
Wakefield for Central and South America. "Today, we offer clients a full array of
integrated services: market research, valuation and strategic advisory services, tenant and
landlord representation, feasibility studies, investment sales and consultancy services for
asset acquisition and disposition and professional property and facilities
management."
"I am confident that Cushman & Wakefield will continue to be a powerhouse in the
region," said Ricardo Semler, CEO of SEMCO and a member of the board of directors of
Cushman & Wakefield South America.
Cushman & Wakefield is the world?s preeminent real estate services firm. Founded in
1917, the firm has 197 offices in 55 countries around the globe, and 11,000 talented
professionals. Cushman & Wakefield delivers integrated solutions by actively advising,
implementing and managing on behalf of landlords, tenants, and investors through every stage of
the real estate process. These solutions include helping clients to buy, sell, finance, lease,
and manage assets. C&W also provides valuation advice, strategic planning and research,
portfolio analysis, and site selection and space location assistance, among many other advisory
services. To find out more about Cushman & Wakefield, please call 1-800-376-3133, or visit
the firm's Web site at www.cushmanwakefield.com.