Leaders don’t create more followers; they create more leaders. -Tom Peters
The intention and passion for encouraging others to achieve favourable and transformative results within organisations and communities serve as the foundation for success. Her high ethical standards and her ability to remain calm under pressure have an impact on how Tonya Brandon, Senior Managing Director at Group, Inc., makes sure that everyone involved will benefit. She has the ability to take decisive action and focus on the goals, which allows her to remain calm in the face of unforeseen circumstances and the emotions that clients and team members frequently experience in trying circumstances.
Tonya Brandon had a number of leadership positions at CBRE, and before joining, she worked for municipal and state governments in project management positions. Over the course of her 27+ year career, she has frequently been asked to lead teams through difficult situations or solve complex problems—whether it be achieving aggressive cost optimization targets, meeting deadlines, navigating acquisitions and the associated cultural change management, or sustaining facility operations through the pandemic.
CBRE Group, Inc.
CBRE Group, Inc. is an American provider of services and investments in commercial real estate. Its headquarters are in Dallas, Texas. It is the largest commercial real estate services and investment company in the world and is 122nd in the Fortune 500 (based on 2021 revenue). Both real estate investors and occupants can benefit from the services CBRE offers: CBRE offers facilities management, project management, transaction services (including real estate sales and leasing), consultancy, and valuation services for occupiers. CBRE offers a variety of services to investors, including capital markets (property sales, commercial mortgage brokerage, loan origination and servicing), real estate leasing, investment management, property management, valuation, and development.
Responsibilities and Roles
As the global account leader for 500 team members spread over 23 countries for one of CBRE’s most important financial and wealth management clients, Tonya presently works in the Occupier business division. She is in charge of organising and enabling various professional teams to find, create, and convert high-performing and resilient facilities; making the best use of resources; and innovating in terms of processes. The ability to provide knowledgeable counsel and resolve challenging issues while utilising and enlisting the talent of others has always been what she is most inspired by. It has been possible to succeed in relationship management, team building, issue solving, operational excellence, and organisational effectiveness through a career in commercial and corporate real estate. Project management, integrated facility management, contract governance, compliance, energy & sustainability, workplace experience, and supply chain management are among the key functional areas.
Equitable Society
Maya Angelou said, “I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.”
Tonya Brandon has been most inspired to help others by these words. Being a servant leader, which starts with the innate desire to serve, directs how she interacts with others both inside and outside of her business. She aspires to an egalitarian society where everyone can participate and flourish in both their professional and personal interactions. Where equitable objectives foster circumstances that enable everyone to realise their potential, In other words, equity creates a road from optimism to one of change.
Achievements
While Tonya Brandon has achieved great success on behalf of the clients, she considers the most significant professional achievement to be advancing diversity, equity, and inclusion inside CBRE. One of the first business resource groups in the commercial real estate sector for black professionals, the company’s Black Excellence Employee Business Resource Group, which she chairs, is celebrating 19 years at CBRE. The group has grown to include over 1400 members from all CBRE business segments and has broadened its focus to become a model for other initiatives in the real estate industry. Additionally, Tonya is a member of the Diversity Advisory Council and the Women’s Network Advisory Board for CBRE.
She has received the following recognitions: Career Mastered Top 50 Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Award – 2022; CREW Charlotte Chapter – Leadership in Diversity & Inclusion Award – 2021; CoreNet Chapter Service Provider of the Year Award – 2020; GWS Account Perseverance Award, East Division – 2020. She has also been named in the Charlotte Mecklenburg Times “50 Most Influential Women” – 2018 & 2014, in the Real Estate Forum “Woman of Influence” Recognition – 2017, in UNCF’s Maya Angelou “Women Who Lead Award” – 2016, in A heading forward for the recognition of the CBRE GCS Award for Leadership-2015, Charlotte Business Journal’s “Top 25 Women in Business in 2013” Award, and Charlotte Business Journal’s “40 Under 40 in 2011” Award.
Futuristic Advice
When Tonya Brandon thinks about the future, she concentrates primarily on client care and outcomes because that is where she has a passion and the ability to produce results. Using her track record of success and years of experience in account management, operations, supplier partnerships, and strategy, Tonya can add depth and dimensions to CBRE’s Client Care platform and outcomes for her team and customers.
Tonya would advise emerging leaders and enthusiasts interested in a career in real estate to remember that everything is possible! And if you are willing to change during your journey, it is particularly achievable. One can pursue and succeed regardless of whether they have studied or worked in the fields of law, architecture, design, financial management, or building construction. Tonya has been lucky to hold positions in a variety of capacities during her path, and it was crucial to keep an open mind and be willing to change when a new door opened, a tap on the shoulder occurred, or she simply felt like she was ready to advance beyond the existing position.
Website: www.cbre.com
