Avison Young appoints Charlie Morris to lead U.S. Flexible Office Solutions practice and expand service platform globally

Appointment reflects demands of occupiers seeking offerings that provide higher level of hospitality, transparency and flexibility in a growing mobile and on-demand economy

Editors/Reporters

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Toronto, Canada – Mark E. Rose, Chair and CEO of Avison Young, the world's fastest-growing commercial real estate services firm, announced today the strategic hiring of Charlie Morris.

Reporting to the CEO, Morris becomes the leader of Avison Young’s U.S. Flexible Office Solutions (FOS) practice with a mandate to oversee the management and development of the company’s FOS practice in the U.S. and to expand the practice across the globe.

“We’re thrilled that Charlie is taking on this role as we continue to grow our U.S. FOS practice and roll out the business line globally,” comments Rose. “Charlie will provide day-to-day leadership and develop business opportunities for the FOS practice, ensuring that it mirrors the core values of the company; as well as recruit top talent, target potential acquisitions and strategic partnerships, and work with our leadership team and leaders in Avison Young's other markets to develop a service platform that transcends globally." 

Rose continues: “Under Charlie’s leadership, we will be able to support the flexible office initiatives being deployed by the occupier community along with institutional owners around the globe. The flexible office sector is about more than just co-working space, and due to the demand from the enterprise occupier community, new flexible operators continue to emerge and the ownership community is acknowledging the need for a core-plus-flex asset management strategy. As occupiers become more and more mobile, they are demanding offerings that provide a higher level of hospitality, transparency and flexibility.”

Morris was most recently Director of Business Development for LiquidSpace, a property-technology (PropTech) startup company that supports the flexible-office economy. The firm operates an innovative online office leasing platform that provides flexible solutions designed to assist tenants with peak workflow, seasonal demand and volatile business growth. Morris served the company in various capacities, including institutional-owner engagement and transaction management for LiquidSpace’s turnkey workplace solution altSpace.

“It is exciting to have the opportunity to develop an industry-leading practice within the flexible office sector -- the hottest growth area in almost every major market around the globe,” says Morris, who is based in Dallas. “The on-demand economy has driven consumers to expect services to be delivered faster -- with greater efficiency and simplicity than ever thought possible. The industry has entered a period of transformational change, initiated by technological advances, disruptive products and offerings, and a high level of transparency in a sector where opacity has been the status quo. I am excited for the opportunity to leverage both my passion around flexible office space and my transactional experience to build a unique offering to the occupier, ownership and flexible-operator communities.”

Morris’ hire is part of Avison Young’s ongoing global expansion program, which has been enhanced by the company’s acquisition of GVA in February 2019. In the past two months, the firm has announced hires and promotions involving more than 60 global and senior professionals, brokers and subject-matter experts – as well as acquisitions of brokerage operations in Germany and Canada.

“Charlie is a respected industry veteran with a proven track record as an office tenant representation specialist and has transitioned his practice as the industry has evolved,” says Martin Dockrill, Avison Young Principal and COO, Global Operations. “We understand and appreciate the disruption underway within the industry; and through our FOS team, we are positioned to respond accordingly to advise our clients about their future occupancy objectives. Our FOS practice will be critical to clients not only in the U.S., but across the globe as they deploy flexibility in their workplace strategies throughout their portfolios.”

Dockrill adds that Morris will also work closely with Avison Young’s Chief Innovation Officer John Sikaitis and his team to innovate processes and technologies concerning FOS: “Charlie’s passion, relationships and experience within the PropTech arena will be extremely valuable as we offer clients a differentiated approach to office leasing and provide access to the technology of the future,” notes Dockrill.

Morris has 13 years of experience in the commercial real estate industry. Prior to joining LiquidSpace, he was a Principal of Avison Young from 2014 to 2018. He has also held senior vice-president and vice-president positions with Cassidy Turley and Colliers International, specializing in office tenant representation. Since entering the commercial real estate industry as a broker in 2006, he has consulted on behalf of large Fortune 500 companies, private firms and fast-growing startups.