CBRE Middle East announces key appointment, Simon Townsend

CBRE, the global real estate consulting firm, today announced the appointment of Simon Townsend, as the Director and Head of Valuation and Consultancy of CBRE. 

Simon brings with him more than 17 years of professional valuation experience across the MENA region, advising financial institutions, developers, funds and business organizations with more than 13 years within the UAE and GCC regions. Simon is a dynamic leader and has a proven track record of building and empowering teams to achieve enhanced performance.

“Simon’s return to CBRE is an important hire in the firms regional growth strategy which, this year, has included several senior appointments and acquisition activity.  Simon brings both advisory and capital markets skills sets; long experience within the Gulf region; and exceptional connectivity.  I am delighted that he also brings client side investor experience to my firm to help to increase the momentum of our capital advisory business at a time when we are experiencing significant overseas interest in UAE investment” commented Nick Maclean, Managing Director, CBRE, Middle East. 

Simon has been involved in valuation mandates for a number of prestigious clients across various markets such as the GCC, North Africa, Europe as well as the US across almost all asset classes and has also taken part in a number of high profile investment acquisitions. He relocated to the UAE in 2001 after working with a prominent private practice in the UK and has since been the resident partner at Cluttons. Previously, Simon has also headed investment and advisory businesses for a range of Islamic and conventional investment banks within the UAE and Qatar. Simon has been a certified RICS qualified surveyor for 17years and is a RICS registered valuer as well. 

Simon’s representative assignments include investment advisory, commercial valuation, development appraisals, Argus investor & developer and financial feasibility studies. 

Simon holds a BSc (Hons) Urban Land Economics from the Sheffield Hallam University. 

With over 10 years in the region, CBRE Middle East’s highly experienced management team offers a full range of real estate services, including Valuation; Tenant & Landlord Agency; Research & Consultancy; Property Management; Project Management; Facilities Management; and Global Corporate Services.