Newmark Taps Bridgewater Exec as CEO of Its Global Corporate Services
By Tom Acitelli January 11, 2021 12:33 pm
reprints![A man smiling into the camera.](https://commercialobserver.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2021/01/Rick_Bertasi_BW.jpg?quality=80&w=675)
Newmark (NMRK) has named Richard Bertasi as chief executive officer of its global corporate services (GCS) business, a move that the commercial real estate services firm said will aid its expansion plans.
Bertasi arrives from hedge fund Bridgewater Associates, where he managed the company’s real estate assets and facilities, according to a Jan. 11 release from Newmark announcing the hire. Before that, the two-time Dartmouth College graduate — MBA and BA —worked for a decade in Europe, include five years overseeing global corporate real estate for Deutsche Bank (DB) and a couple of years as a managing director at flex space provider Regus.
He’s also done stints in management at corporate real estate servicer United Systems Integrators; as a partner at the Trammell Crow brokerage; and as chief executive of property management platform Sequentra, which Bertasi founded, according to the Newmark release.
“Rick’s wealth of experience in corporate real estate, both in-house and as a service provider, makes him an ideal candidate to take our global corporate services platform to new heights,” Newmark CEO Barry Gosin said in the release. “The COVID-19 pandemic has brought about massive shifts in many large corporate users’ business models, and many are in need of trusted, creative and agile advisers who can help them navigate these uncharted waters.
“As a tech leader in the real estate industry, Newmark’s proprietary and expansive technology, data analytics and systems will continue to drive innovation and the best margins for its clients. The timing is ideal for Rick to take the helm of this prestigious team, and we look forward to his leadership as we continue to expand our GCS platform across the globe.”
Bertasi, for his part, is focusing on Newmark clients from the get-go. (He will work out of Newmark’s 125 Park Avenue office, and will report to Gosin.)
“Newmark is well known for its ingenuity, its relationships, its breadth of expertise and its client commitment,” Bertasi said in the release. “These attributes equip the GCS team to provide clients with actionable services that are particularly critical during the current tumultuous period — from workplace safety protocols to portfolio repositioning strategies. I look forward to applying my experience to help fuel Newmark GCS growth and further solidify Newmark’s reputation as a true leader across the global arena.”