For 27 years, James worked for JLL, one of the world’s largest global real estate organisations. James was a senior member of JLL’s capital markets group who supervised transactions in VIC, NSW, QLD, SA, TAS and WA totalling in excess of $4 billion.

Over the past 3 years James has been a Senior Director of Real Estate at Qualitas. Qualitas is an Australian leading real estate financier and investment manager, with debt and equity investments across the capital structure, in a range of commercial, residential, and industrial assets.

As an Asia Pacific Regional Director at JLL, James was involved in business development and cross border transactions focusing on the domestic marketplace and inbound capital from Singapore, Malaysia, Hong Kong and China. James has extensive experience across a broad range of transactions, and has acted for Institutional investors, developers, private investors, corporate occupiers and government.

Prior to joining JLL’s capital markets group, James spent 20 years working in industrial agency with JLL. Ultimately, he was appointed head of industrial agency and was responsible for managing 17 direct reports.

The past 3 years with Qualitas has significantly further developed James' skills, by expanding his knowledge of real estate corporate finance, delivering development projects and assessing and completing acquisitions as a principle. 

James' transactional experience is broad based and has included leasing and sale of retail, bulky goods, industrial, office and residential developments assets. He has also worked with developers to identify joint venture or capital partners for development projects.

When James started with JLW in 1989 he was leasing 245sqm factory/warehouses in the suburbs of Melbourne and ultimately became involved in some of the largest and most complex commercial sales transactions in Melbourne.

Some of the highlights included:

12 Riverside Quay Southbank - Client ExxonMobil – $160m

To enable the relocation of Esso Australia to new premises the sale of their owner-occupied building with vacant possession after a short-term leaseback. The building had potential for refurbishment and extension including a substantial retail component.

200 Victoria Parade East Melbourne - Client NAB - $64m

Sale with vacant possession of redundant data centre and office buildings. Suitable for redevelopment as a prestigious residential apartment or office project.

567 Collins Street Melbourne – Client Leighton Properties - $462m

At the time was the largest forward funded office transaction in Melbourne in over 20 years.

Hobart Parliament Development – Client Citta Properties and Qualitas

Largest forward funded office transaction in Hobart with 20-year lease to the state government.

150 Collins Street Melbourne - Client Grocon and APN - $188m

Forward funded office transaction of Westpac’s new office development.

Central West Business Park Footscray - Client Southern Capital Corporation – $146m

Sale of a mixed-use development including a shopping centre, office space, industrial estate and land for future development.

Swanston Square Carlton – Client Grocon

Joint venture agreement for the development of a $290 mill 530 apartment development project.

913 Whitehorse Road Box Hill – Client Grocon - $117m

Forward funded office transaction of the ATO’s new office development. One of the largest single tenanted suburban office projects in Melbourne.

399 Bourke Street Melbourne – Client Donnelly Group - $87m

Sale of a shopping centre and commercial car park with a development pad site suitable for a 65,000 sqm office building or major residential tower.

484 St Kilda Road Melbourne – Client Abacus Group - $94m

Sale of a fully leased St Kilda Road office building. One of the largest sales in St Kilda Road at the time.

250 Spencer Street Melbourne – Client Fairfax Media Limited - $66m

The sale of the redundant Age News Papers printing plant and office building.

The largest land sale by area in the Melbourne CBD. The site had the potential to accommodate 4,000 apartments in seven towers.

Home HQ Whitehorse Road Nunawading – Client Pivot Group - $73m

Sale of newly completed bulky goods centre was the first two story bulky goods centre in Victoria and the largest bulky goods transaction at the time.

Corner Chesterville and Cochranes Roads Moorabbin – Client Philip Morris – $24m

Sale of one of the largest land holdings in Moorabbin and the first time offered to the market in 65 years. The 6.27ha site was marketed with vacant possession to developers and investors looking to create a mixed use industrial and office business park. The sale of the site enabled Philip Morris to relocate to a new 7,500 sqm office building in Melbourne South Wharf development.

Nepean Highway Mentone – Client Dawson Advisory – $30m

Sale of one of the largest land holdings on Nepean highway with the benefit of income from a single tenant. The 11.4 ha parcel of land had potential to be redeveloped as a major bulky goods centre and is now the home of Bunnings.

Consolidation and rationalisation of the Austrim Nylex Industrial Property Portfolio - circa $100m

Austrim Nylex Limited has accumulated through acquisition, leasehold and freehold industrial buildings located around Australia. James was appointed to dispose of the surplus sites and to secure new modern leasehold buildings over a five-year period.