Karin Kraai has joined Newmark’s property management and landlord advisory division as a senior managing director. An accomplished landlord representative, Kraai will lead the strategic growth of the office agency practice in Chicago, with a primary focus on the CBD.
Kraai brings 24 years of experience representing real estate owners, users and investors, with expertise across the entire spectrum of asset management, leasing and marketing services, such as repositioning, value-add and long-term hold strategies. Widely recognized for her success with managing and increasing portfolio values, Kraai is credited for growing portfolios valued in excess of $2.1 billion.
“The expansion of Newmark’s agency leasing and property management capabilities across the U.S. is a key strategic initiative for the firm’s Capital Group in order to create a more fully integrated owner/investor services platform for its clients,” states Newmark’s Steven Adamczyk, executive vice president of Property Management and Landlord Services. “Karin’s highly successful background in office leasing, marketing and portfolio management provides the senior-level experience we had been looking for to lead our growth in Chicago and bring our clients an exceptional team dedicated to helping drive value in their real estate portfolios.”
Kraai’s prior experience includes a strong track record with Jones Lang LaSalle, Lincoln Property Company and Vornado Realty Trust. Among her notable achievements, Kraai drove the leasing and marketing strategy for an office portfolio of nine buildings totaling 6.9 million square feet. Most recently, Kraai created Forest Partners Real Estate LLC, with a focus on strategic team partnering to manage and execute the marketing, leasing and disposition process for portfolios that needed to be repositioned and leased for a hold or disposition strategy. Clients included advisory groups working on receivership and sublease portfolios, niche building owners with unique office leasing challenges, understaffed corporate real estate departments and banks with REO office assets.
Select clients include GE Capital, Bank of America, Ernst & Young, Citigroup, BFGImmoinvest, Overseas Partners Capital Corporation, Equitable Real Estate, Lend Lease, Harris Bank, Unitrin, Dorchester Corporation, WPP and Publicis. Recent clients included Spectrum Realty Advisors and Lincoln Property Company.
Kraai has been on the board for the City of Hope annual REACH fundraiser for the past 10 years. She is a member of CREW, COLBA and CREO, and a past member of the Greater Chicago Food Depository steering committee.
Kraai holds an MBA in finance and economics from Loyola University, Chicago, and an undergraduate degree in marketing and economics from Eastern Illinois University.
About Newmark
Newmark is one of the largest independent real estate service firms in the world. Headquartered in New York, Newmark and London-based partner Knight Frank operate from over 220 offices in established and emerging property markets on six continents. With a combined staff of 7,300 and revenues last year exceeding $861 million, this major force in real estate is meeting the local and global needs of owners, tenants, investors and developers worldwide. For further information, visit www.newmarkkf.com.