Partners Taps John O’Neil to Lead Southeast Expansion

Partners Real Estate has tapped a former Cushman & Wakefield executive to lead its Southeast expansion.

John O’Neil, who recently parted ways with Cushman after nearly 21 years, will step into the role of president and managing partner of the Southeast for the Houston-based commercial brokerage, starting June, the Atlanta Business Chronicle reported.

His responsibilities will include overseeing the firm’s Atlanta office, its inaugural outpost beyond Texas, and serving as a board member.

The move underscores Partners’ initiative to broaden its footprint in key regional markets such as Tennessee, the Carolinas and Florida within the next two to four years. The expansion plan marks a departure from Partners’ long standing exclusive focus on Texas, where it has established offices in Austin, Dallas and San Antonio alongside its Houston headquarters.

“With the size of the company, the scale and the number of partners and everything we’re doing, growth is important,” Partners CEO Jon Silberman told the outlet.

Partners is structured as a full-service firm with investment and development arms. With approximately 280 employees, the firm operates in two main segments: real estate services encompassing brokerage, property management, finance and advisory solutions, as well as a capital arm including development and investment fund platforms.

The firm manages over half a billion dollars in assets through its fund program and is at the helm of numerous projects exceeding $100 million in its development pipeline, Silberman said.

Partners’ expansion coincides with a challenging period in commercial real estate, characterized by high interest rates and dwindling sales, leading to job cuts in several national brokerages.

However, Silberman remains optimistic, citing the firm’s flexibility as a privately held entity and its track record of resilience. Notably, during the onset of the pandemic, Partners defied market trends by expanding its workforce, hiring 60 employees.

O’Neill brings a wealth of experience to the role, having held various leadership positions during his tenure with Cushman, most recently as president of its multifamily capital markets division.

—Quinn Donoghue