Real estate leader Sheila Botting joins Avison Young to establish Professional Services practice for the Americas

Firm grows Consulting and Occupier Solutions expertise to help clients achieve business goals through real estate strategies

Toronto, ON – Mark Rose, Chair and CEO of Avison Young, today announced the strategic hiring of Sheila Botting as Avison Young Principal and President, Professional Services, Americas. Botting, who joins May 4, will build a Professional Services practice across the Americas as the firm invests in expanding its integrated services offerings to meet clients’ business goals.

“In building our professional services and consultancy leadership throughout the Americas, we are delivering an interdisciplinary service offering closely aligned with our transaction teams and our investments in technology and innovation that is unique in our industry,” said Rose. “Sheila is a dynamic leader with tremendous experience in growing teams who will enable us to deploy deeper insight into real estate decision making to serve clients.”

Botting will lead the expansion of the firm’s wholistic Professional Services offering in the Americas, inclusive of Consulting and Occupier Solutions, harnessing the full breadth of Avison Young’s expertise, including its insight and strategy-driving technology and innovation platforms. The practice will enable more integrated partnerships to help the firm’s professionals advise on real estate strategy, implementation and management, informing and complementing the firm’s brokerage teams.

“The entire market – including investors, owners, occupiers, developers and other participants – want insights into cities, people and workplaces across property types to help address their business strategies,” said Botting. “Our goal with professional services at Avison Young is to spark provocative discussions and solutions about how to use real estate as a tool to achieve business goals.” 

Botting will set the strategy and growth trajectory for the newly established Professional Services practice in the Americas, ensuring the firm offers end-to-end services to any client, anywhere. Her work will focus on building a team, and providing private and public sector clients with a comprehensive suite of services to meet all their business needs related to property by delivering the full services of the firm across: Corporate real estate advisory; Workplace Strategy; Project Management; Transaction Management; Real Estate & Infrastructure Advisory; and Urban Land Planning & Development Advisory.

“This is an exciting time to join Avison Young as it continues its ambitious growth trajectory across the Americas and globally,” added Botting. “In partnering with our clients to proactively recommend fulsome services, we can help our clients achieve their goals and deliver greater value.”

Botting joins Avison Young from Deloitte LLP, where she has been Senior Partner & Canadian Real Estate Leader and a member of its global real estate executive team. She also previously held executive positions with Cushman & Wakefield Americas. She has been involved in significant real estate advisory services, providing expertise to corporations, government, real estate companies, investors, pension funds and others. Sheila is a Fellow of the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors and a Fellow of the Canadian Institute of Management Consultants. She has held numerous board roles throughout the industry, including NAIOP and CREW, and has been recognized with multiple awards including CREW Network’s Most Distinguished Women Award and the Canadian Executive Network WXN’s 100 Most Powerful Women Award.