Cushman & Wakefield, one of the largest property agents in the world, is planning its expansion in Australia.
Glenn Rufrano, chief executive and president of the company, said he expected to open corporate offices in Brisbane and Melbourne.
While the company has a head-office-owned operation in Sydney, it uses affiliates in other states.
Mr. Rufrano, who assumed the top post at the company after working for two years at shopping centre Centro, said he and the property agency had been approached to advice one of the parties bidding on the Centro sale and restructure, but no decision had been made yet.
Among the groups interested in the $13 billion worth of Centro shopping centres being offered for sale, are two large consortiums.
Mr. Rufrano revealed earlier this month that Israeli firm Gazit Globe was heading one consortium, while Singapore sovereign wealth fund GIC and two US groups are included in a Lend Lease-led consortium. He also said that global real estate markets were steadily improving.
In the United States, the cost of funds for real estate investment trusts (REITs) was favourable and investors preferred sensible property acquisitions than takeover activity, he said.
In Australia, Cushman & Wakefield has hired David Woolford, former chief executive of Knight Frank, and appointed John Stinson, former executive of DTZ as head of Asia region capital markets.
Mr. Rufrano said the property giant expected to add 10 percent to its executive numbers into 2011 after retrenching about 18 percent of its workforce during the global recession.