The potential redefinition of workplaces in a post-Covid environment has led Knight Frank to bolster its Occupier Services division, which the company says has been experiencing an almost unprecedented level of enquiry.

Viswesh Sathi has moved into the role of Partner and National Head of Occupier Services at Knight Frank, based in Sydney, after being promoted from his role of Director of Strategic Advisory, which he took on six months ago.

With a career spanning over 20 years across many different parts of the world, Mr Sathi has held a number of different leadership roles, including at WeWork, where he was tasked with the expansion and operational readiness of their Powered by We business supporting Enterprise clients (Occupiers and Landlords) across Asia Pacific.

At a glance: 

• Knight Frank has announced two new appointments within its Occupier Services team, with Visweth Sathi named as Partner and National Head of Occupier Services, while Bret Madden is the new Head of Portfolio Management.
• The appointments come as Occupier Services experiences increased enquiry on the back of COVID-19.
• Mr Sathi said the pandemic was prompting business leaders to ask "important questions" about the defining characteristics of offices.

He will replace Dermot Lowry, who is leaving Knight Frank to pursue other endeavours. 

Mr Sathi told WILLIAMS MEDIA that Knight Frank’s Occupier Services team would continue to focus on core aspects of the sector to support clients to align their real estate strategy with their business goals.

"From a market-facing perspective, the journey of an occupier typically incorporates strategic advisory, workplace strategy, transaction management, design, facility management and portfolio management," he said.

"At Knight Frank, we can support each of the pieces that come along with these elements, but my areas of focus are strategic advisory in the workplace, tenancy representation, and portfolio management, an area in which we are very strong.

"Portfolio management requires working with both people and software, with lease information often stored in operating systems, while there is an account manager in charge of building relationships."

Knight Frank Head of Portfolio Management Bret Madden. Source: Knight Frank

It is within this space that Knight Frank has made another new appointment, with Bret Madden named Head of Portfolio Management for the company.

As part of his newly created role, Mr Madden head up the company’s specialist Occupier Services unit focusing on the holistic management of occupier real estate portfolios throughout Australia and working closely with the Knight Frank Asia Pacific and Global business to assist Australian firms with regional or global portfolios. 

Mr Madden is a property industry veteran with over 25 years’ experience in the provision of corporate real estate advice to occupiers throughout Australia and the Asia Pacific region. 

He formerly led the West Australian Occupier Services business for Knight Frank for eleven years, and most recently managed the Asia Pacific Occupier Accounts business for Knight Frank based in Singapore.

This role included transaction management and corporate real estate strategy across 10.6 million square metres of space over all the key regions, including China, India, Southeast Asia and Australia. 

Mr Madden said he was excited to return to Knight Frank Australia to develop the strategic business unit. 

“The globally collaborative nature of the Knight Frank, coupled with its culture of building long-term trusted partnerships with our clients, are its key distinguishing features," he said.

“The immediate success we have achieved in translating a number of existing Knight Frank clients into national and global portfolios is testament to both the need in the market, and the strong Knight Frank culture."

The 'Perfect Storm' of COVID-19

According to Knight Frank Chief Executive Officer Rod Leaver said the appointments had been made at a crucial time in Occupier Services when demand for advisory was perhaps the highest it has ever been.

“Occupier Services is of crucial importance in the COVID-19 world as businesses respond to changes in workplaces and devise strategies for how they will move forward,” he said. 

“The occupier market is evolving quickly as the entire property industry grapples with the effects of COVID-19."

Mr Sathi told WILLIAMS MEDIA COVID-19 had prompted business leaders questions the fundamental aspects of traditional workspaces.

"It has caused what I consider a perfect storm," he said.

"On the one hand, impacted businesses are being required to re-examine their balance sheets, while on the other, there is a global workplace experiment occurring that has proven workers can be just as productive when they are not in the office.

"When you put these together, suddenly you have questions about the role of the office going forward and how much is needed, in terms of real estate. 

"Having now experienced the pandemic environment for a few months, we know the office still has a place, but we also know that its size, shape and purpose of an office is going to change.

"That is what occupiers are trying to figure out at the moment."

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