Gavin Read and Jonathan Manns MBE appointed to new roles for JLL NZ
February 2024 – JLL New Zealand has made two significant appointments to its Leadership Team, with Gavin Read taking the role of Head of Value and Risk Advisory after almost three years as Head of Research for the business. Jonathan Manns MBE has been appointed to the newly created role of Head of Government and Public Sector, which he will hold alongside his existing role as national Head of Strategic Advisory.
The strength of the JLL leadership roster is reflected in these internal appointments that tap into each of Read’s and Manns’ natural abilities. Managing Director for JLL New Zealand, Todd Lauchlan, says Read’s people leadership skills were a significant factor in his appointment to the market-leading team.
“Gavin has made a significant impact on the JLL Research department in his short time with the business already, transforming our best-in-class data and analytics into highly soughtafter reports that help our clients achieve their property goals. He has consistently delivered meaningful reports and processed complex data into digestible and operable analysis for our clients. Moving into the Value and Risk Advisory team, there is scope for Gavin to utilise his decades of experience and excellent leadership skills to carry our team forward and continue delivering outstanding results for our clients.”
Read says the opportunity to lead the national Value and Risk Advisory business was an exciting prospect. “Knowing the strength of the Value and Risk Advisory team in New Zealand, this was an unmissable opportunity. I’m excited to tap into my three decades of experience in the banking sector and pass that knowledge on to our valuers across the country as we strive to continue operating as the leading Value and Risk Advisory business in Aotearoa.” Lauchlan highlights that the newly created Head of Government and Public Sector role is a direct response to a need from the market.
“The breadth and depth of Jon’s skillset, in terms of both property and leadership expertise, has served the JLL New Zealand business incredibly well since 2021. Politically and commercially astute, this evolution in his role will leverage his experience by helping drive better outcomes for our government and public-sector clients. These clients now face increasing pressure to improve efficiencies and outcomes, and Jon is well-positioned to help them deliver.”
Manns’ additional responsibilities within this role at JLL build upon an already successful career in the UK where he has been described as the pre-eminent British planner of his generation. He believes there are significant opportunities to bring about positive and lasting changes from his new role.
“It’s been a pleasure to lead on the successful expansion of JLL’s Wellington and Strategic Advisory businesses over the past three years. The result is that our teams, both in the capital and beyond, are better-placed than ever before to help government and public-sector clients as they seek to tackle a range of unique and often unprecedented challenges. It’s impossible to overstate the importance of the work.”