The Leader - September/October 2008 - (Page 58) real e stat e maNaGemeNt Leading in Challenging Times: Adding Agility, Building Global Competitiveness BY rIcharD kaDzIs aND tIm veNaBle L EADER recently sat with senior executives from all key parts of the corporate real estate (CRE) industry spectrum to talk about issues and challenges. Together with Commercial Property News magazine (CPN), we heard numerous examples of how major companies are using CRE to support, even drive, expansion into global markets. CoreNet Global CEO Dr. Prentice Knight joined with CPN Senior Editor Eugene Gilligan to examine how CRE executives are making the corporate enterprise more agile, along with a list of other strategic topics like flexible workplace practices, sustainability, and emerging markets. Panelists taking part in the May 2008 magazine roundtable held in San Diego continually linked these issues to the War for Talent, which is the focus of our Global Summit learning theme this year. LEADER and CPN thank these industry executives for sharing what Dr. Knight called “a diverse perspective on the issues.” Panelists included: Mark Tamburro, Vice President, Workplace Resources for Nokia, Chairman, CoreNet Global; David M. Harris, MCR, Senior Vice President, Workplace Resources for Sun Microsystems, Immediate Past Chair, CoreNet Global; Mike Zamora, MCR, Senior Manager, Asia-Pacific Region for Cisco Systems, Asia Regional Chair, CoreNet Global; Rick Bertasi, Vice President & General Manager, EMEA Global WorkPlace Solutions for Johnson Controls, CoreNet Global Board Member; Karen Ellzey, Executive Managing Director, Global Corporate Services for CB Richard Ellis, CoreNet Global Board Member; and Mary Jane Olhasso, Director, Economic Development for the City of Ontario, Calif., CoreNet Global Board Member. leaDer/cpN: What’s the greatest challenge you’re facing today? harrIs: It’s getting the right people with the right skill sets in the right geography. We operate directly in probably 75 countries around the world and it continues to be quite a challenge to execute on our strategy with people on the ground in those geographies. Even once you find talented people, you’ve got to hang onto them because there is this constant churn of talent. tamBurro: It’s around agility and flexibility. We need to ensure that the portfolio supports rapid change. Now, a bigger part of that is transitioning the portfolio to much more open and collaborative (work) environments, particularly to support the knowledge worker and mobile worker. 2 0 0 8 th e le aDe r 58 septemBer / octoBer
For optimal viewing of this digital publication, please enable JavaScript and then refresh the page. If you would like to try to load the digital publication without using Flash Player detection, please click here.