JLL Appoints Angela Gentry as New York Market Lead

JLL announced Oct. 27 that it has appointed Angela Gentry as Market Lead for New York. In the role, Gentry will lead growth strategy, financial performance, recruitment and talent development, working alongside Peter Riguardi, Chairman and President of the firm's New York Tri-State Region.

Gentry most recently served as Vice Chairman, Leasing Advisory. According to the firm, the appointment is part of JLL's continued growth strategy, combining Riguardi's expertise in New York brokerage with Gentry's focus on innovation and strategy.

Angela Gentry's Role at JLL in New York

As Market Lead, Gentry will oversee growth strategy, financial performance, recruitment and talent development for the New York market. She will also work with leaders across JLL's business lines and markets to carry the region's growth strategy forward, the firm said.

"Angela changed how this region goes after business, and other JLL markets are now adopting what she built. Adding her to this team is a strategic move that will make us sharper and more aggressive in the market. I'm excited to build with her," Riguardi said.

Gentry said her priority in the new role is to "win more business, grow our share and give our brokers every advantage to do it." She added: "The best opportunities come when you challenge the way things have always been done. Peter's leadership inspires us to push the limits of what we think is possible, and we've built something remarkable in this market. I'm energized to work alongside him in this new role."

Bobby Magnano, President, East Region, U.S. Leasing Advisory at JLL, said: "For our brokers and our clients, this is a clear signal that JLL intends to win in New York. Peter and Angela make a formidable leadership team. This move sets the foundation for our next chapter of JLL, and our brokers and clients will experience strong benefits with this team at the helm."

Business Development Platform and Track Record

Gentry joined JLL in 2022. According to the firm, her team has supported more than $230 million in business pursuits and contributed to a 131% increase in new business opportunities. By integrating business development, marketing, research and technology, she created a model that is now being adopted across JLL nationally, the firm said.

Gentry has more than 20 years of commercial real estate experience. She began in the industry in 2002 as an Assistant Editor at Real Estate Chicago, a trade publication. Before joining JLL, she spent nearly 17 years at CBRE, holding senior leadership roles in Chicago, Los Angeles and New York. She moved from business development into revenue, becoming Managing Director, Client Solutions Lead for CBRE's West Region, where she helped secure more than $80 million in new business contracts. She also served as Director of Marketing and Business Development at Shawmut Design and Construction.

New York Office Market Conditions

The appointment comes as New York's office market shifts from broad distress toward a more competitive, bifurcated recovery. New York office leasing reached 7.2 million square feet in the second quarter of 2026, bringing the year-to-date total to 17.4 million square feet, 5.9% above the comparable 2025 period.

JLL reported total New York office vacancy of 13.0% in the second quarter, down from 13.5% in the first quarter and 15.8% a year earlier. Year-to-date net absorption reached 3.9 million square feet. Average direct asking rent rose to $84.23 per square foot, compared with $80.13 per square foot a year earlier.

The recovery is concentrated in higher-quality buildings. Trophy vacancy had fallen to 4.9% by October, below pre-pandemic levels, and premium office categories accounted for more than half of leasing activity, up from slightly more than one-third a year earlier. Manhattan availability stood at 14.0% in the third quarter, the lowest since the second quarter of 2020. Midtown availability was 12.4%, while Downtown was 18.6%. Midtown Manhattan prime vacancy was 1.9% in the third quarter, while the overall U.S. office vacancy rate was 18.2%.

The quarter's largest reported transaction was Simpson Thacher & Bartlett's 916,000-square-foot relocation to 570 Fifth Avenue.

JLL's Financial Context

JLL reported third-quarter 2026 revenue of $7.3 billion, up 12% year over year, with Advisory revenue up 22% in local-currency terms. Real Estate Management Services revenue increased 9% in local-currency terms, including strength in workplace and project management. Net income reached $319.8 million, compared with $222.8 million in the third quarter of 2025.

JLL (NYSE: JLL) reported annual revenue of $26.1 billion, operations in more than 80 countries and a global workforce of approximately 112,000 as of Sept. 30, 2026. In the New York Tri-State market, the firm provides leasing, capital markets, property and facilities management, consulting, and project and development services.

What the Appointment Means

The leadership structure gives JLL a dedicated market lead responsible for growth strategy, financial performance, recruitment and talent development at a time when leasing in premium New York buildings is tightening. Brokerage firms increasingly present integrated pursuit teams combining leasing specialists with research, marketing, technology and client-solutions professionals, an approach Gentry's platform reflects. With recovery uneven across trophy, Midtown and Downtown assets, winning landlord and tenant-representation mandates remains central to market share in New York.

Sources

• JLL, "JLL Appoints Angela Gentry As New York Market Lead": https://www.jll.com/en-us/newsroom/jll-appoints-angela-gentry-as-new-york-market-lead