Brian Cooper joins Avison Young in San Diego

Highly regarded life sciences tenant representation specialist becomes Principal

LOS ANGELES, Dec. 17, 2015 /PRNewswire/ - Christopher Cooper, Avison Young Principal and Managing Director of the company's Southern California region, announced today that highly regarded life sciences and biotech tenant representation specialist Brian Cooper has joined the firm in San Diego.

Effective immediately, Brian Cooper becomes a Principal of Avison Young. He will focus on expanding the firm's life sciences tenant representation practice, specializing in advising life science companies in the San Diego region. He brings 13 years of industry experience to Avison Young, most recently with Jones Lang LaSalle in San Diego where he served as a Senior Vice-President in the company's life sciences practice.

"We are thrilled to have Brian on board as our newest Principal," comments Christopher Cooper. "He brings to Avison Young an incredible level of experience in a rapidly growing sector of the life sciences corporate occupier markets throughout Southern California and across the U.S. His background in life sciences property transactions, coupled with his outstanding training and the experience he gained at the U.S. Naval Academy and as an officer in the U.S. Navy, make him a natural choice for our clients in this very important part of our economy."

He continues: "Brian's unique background allows him to focus on clean rooms, manufacturing facilities, vivariums, and biology and chemistry laboratories. San Diego remains a critical part of our strategy for growth and client service, and Brian's arrival reinforces our exceptional success in this market, evidenced by our leasing and management assignments for such iconic assets as the San Diego Tech Center."

Before moving to Jones Lang LaSalle, Brian Cooper was with Cushman & Wakefield in San Diego for one year (2008-09), specializing in the leasing of life sciences properties. He joined Cushman & Wakefield after it acquired Burnham Real Estate Services in San Diego, where he spent the first five years of his career, advancing to Vice-President. Prior to entering the commercial real estate industry, he served in the U.S. Navy as a navigator and commissioned officer, rising to the rank of lieutenant.

During his real estate career, Brian Cooper has completed approximately 4 million square feet of lease and sale transactions valued in excess of $800 million. He has represented such notable clients as LabCorp, Biogen Idec, Eli Lilly, GSK, British Petroleum, Exxon Mobile, The J. Craig Venter Institute, The Medicines Company, Otonomy, NexusDx and Conatus Pharmaceuticals.

"I have known Brian for 10 years and have always admired his focus on client service," states Avison Young Principal Jerry Keeney, who is based in San Diego. "We couldn't be more pleased to have Brian on board. He is an important addition as we expand our service offerings to better meet clients' needs. We are very excited about our recent successes in San Diego and are confident that Brian's arrival will further this tremendous momentum."

Brian Cooper is active in the life sciences and biotech community as a member of Biocom, a San Diego-based member-driven organization providing opportunities and resources to help life sciences companies and their employees fulfill their business goals and improve life through advancements in health, energy and agriculture. He is also a member of the San Diego Yacht Club and is an avid yachtsman. In spring 2016, he will be competing in Leg 7 of the Clipper Round the World Race, racing from Seattle to New York via the Panama Canal.

He holds a Masters of Business Administration degree in real estate finance from George Washington University and a Bachelor of Science degree in political science from the U.S. Naval Academy, where he was a member of its varsity swimming and diving teams and intercollegiate sailing team.

"I am looking forward to the opportunity to expand my practice with Avison Young," says Brian Cooper. "I was drawn to Avison Young because of its collaborative culture and Principal-led business model, allowing me to make decisions at the local level and provide a nimble, custom-tailored approach to transaction management for my clients. That's a big differentiator for me. Furthermore, Avison Young's exceptional track record in San Diego and Southern California, along with the firm's entrepreneurial work environment and client-first focus on occupier services, were very appealing to me."

Over the past seven years, Avison Young has grown from 11 to 74 offices and from 300 to more than 2,100 real estate professionals in Canada, the U.S., Mexico and Europe.

Avison Young is the world's fastest-growing commercial real estate services firm. Headquartered in Toronto, Canada, Avison Young is a collaborative, global firm owned and operated by its principals. Founded in 1978, the company comprises 2,100 real estate professionals in 74 offices, providing value-added, client-centric investment sales, leasing, advisory, management, financing and mortgage placement services to owners and occupiers of office, retail, industrial and multi-family properties.

Editors/Reporters
Please click on link to view and download photo of Brian Cooper:
http://www.avisonyoung.com/sites/default/files/content-files/Media_Room/Temp/Brian_Cooper.jpg

For further information/comment/photos:

• Sherry Quan, Principal, Global Director of Communications & Media Relations, Avison Young: 604.647.5098; cell: 604.726.0959
• Christopher Cooper, Principal and Managing Director, Southern California, Avison Young: 213.935.7435
• Jerry Keeney, Principal, Avison Young: 858 201.7077
• Brian Cooper, Principal, Avison Young: 858.201.7068
• Mark Rose, Chair and CEO, Avison Young: 416.673.4028
• Earl Webb, President, U.S. Operations, Avison Young: 312.957.7610

www.avisonyoung.com

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SOURCE Avison Young Commercial Real Estate (BC)

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