Savills Hires CBRE’s Jonathan Schifrin to Expand Its Life Sciences Team

Savills has hired Jonathan Schifrin to boost its life sciences team in New York City, the company announced Wednesday.

Schifrin, who was previously senior vice president at CBRE (CBRE), will come to Savills as a senior managing director and use his new role to “expand Savills’ life sciences capabilities and biotech tenant advisory services” across the New York City area, Savills said.

“New York is a burgeoning hub and critical market for life sciences with the city investing heavily in its development,” Austin Barrett, vice chairman and head of Savills life sciences team, said in a statement.

“As the supply of available lab space continues to grow, tenants seek expert guidance as they scale and seek new integrated lab workplace opportunities,” Barrett added. “Jonathan will collaborate with our national team to help life sciences companies leverage real estate to get products and therapies to patients quicker and more cost effectively.”

A spokesperson for Savills did not immediately respond to a request for further comment. CBRE did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Schifrin worked at CBRE for seven years after a three-year stint as senior vice president at JLL and a two-year gig as senior vice president at Transwestern, according to his LinkedIn page. 

In those positions, he worked with tenants and landlords in the office and life sciences industry and completed more than 1.5 million square feet of leasing transactions, according to Savills’ announcement.

In his new role at Savills, Schifrin will work to “grow the firm’s tenant advisory services across the region” and “partner with local markets throughout the U.S. on new business development,” the firm said.

Schifrin graduated from Georgia’s Emory University and is a member of the Real Estate Board of New York and the Young Men’s/Women’s Real Estate Association, according to CBRE.

Isabelle Durso can be reached at idurso@commercialobserver.com.