CBRE expands government focus with senior national appointment

CBRE has promoted Ash Nicholson to an expanded role as National Head of Government, strengthening the firm’s focus on the public sector as a significant client and growth opportunity.

Previously focused on the NSW Government sector, Ms Nicholson will work with CBRE teams nationally to deepen client relationships, identify opportunities and bring together expertise from across the firm.

Her expanded remit will encompass growth strategy, executive stakeholder engagement, client development and major pursuits, while helping connect CBRE’s capabilities across property sectors and service lines with the increasingly complex property and infrastructure priorities of government.

CBRE Executive Managing Director, Pacific Advisory Services Andrew Roy said the appointment recognised both Ms Nicholson’s contribution to the firm’s government business in NSW and the opportunity to extend that experience more broadly.

“Ash has played an important role in building our Government platform in NSW, connecting our people and capabilities around the needs of government clients and creating opportunities across the business,” Mr Roy said.

“This expanded role allows us to take that experience into Victoria and Queensland while maintaining the strong focus we have established in NSW.

“Government is an important growth sector for CBRE, and Ash brings a combination of commercial property expertise, strong stakeholder relationships and a broader understanding of the priorities influencing government property decisions.”

Ms Nicholson said the expanded role reflected the increasingly interconnected nature of government property decisions.

“Government property strategy is increasingly connected to much broader questions around infrastructure, housing, precincts, economic development and place,” Ms Nicholson said.

“There is a real opportunity to bring CBRE’s property expertise closer to those priorities and help our clients translate strategy into tangible outcomes.

“What interests me most is finding the point where strong commercial outcomes align with government’s broader economic, cultural and community objectives. That’s the perspective I want to bring to this role.”

Alongside her commercial property career, Ms Nicholson has built extensive government, industry and cultural governance experience. This includes her involvement with the NSW Government’s 24-Hour Economy Advisory Council and the City of Sydney’s Nightlife and Creative Industries Advisory Panel, as well as board positions with Museums of History NSW, City Recital Hall, Brand X and YCK Laneways.