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Building the story behind the building

KBS Realty Advisors is one of the largest owners of Class A office space in the
world and delivers exclusive work environments tailored to the unique needs
of their tenants. Paul Kllnk, Executive Managing Director. Investor Services,

I

Cushman & Wakefield. sat down with Rodney Richerson, Regional President,

Western Region. KBS Realty Advisors, to talk about the companies’ strategic

relationship and shared values. Together, KBS and Cushman & Wakefield define ,

best practices that maximize value and drive thought leadership in the ind

Paul: How did KBS’ relationsh
with Cushman & Wakefield be
and how has it evolved? ‘

Rodney: We believe in fostering ‘ ,1,
partnerships with service providers and 7
individuals that share in our corporate

values, management philosophy

and business ethics. These mutually

supportive partnerships create a

powerful dynamic that challenges

the status quo, drives efficiencies and

delivers industry-Ieading services to

building tenants that transform the way

they do business. We are always looking

for ways to enhance ourselves within an

industry full of disruption and constantly
challenging ourselves and our partners

to figure out how to stay ahead without
compromising the quality of the KBS

brand.

The KBS and Cushman 8: Wakefield
relationship began more than 10 years
ago and has developed into a trusted
partnership. The teams have a deep
understanding of our priorities, business
objectives and what we require from

a service provider. As our portfolio in
the Americas continues to grow and
evolve, it‘s crucial we have collaborative
partners like Cushman & Wakefield

to help us maximize the value of our
portfolio.

16 THE EDGE

Clockwise from left: Lobby of 201 Spear Street located
on the waterfront within San Francisco’s South
Financial District: the expansive lobby of 171 17th Street
in Atlanta’s Midtown submarket: Paul K|ink and Rodney
Richerson at KBS’ office

Opposite page: 222 Main’s lobby provides views of the
Wasatch Mountain Range and downtown Salt Lake City.

Paul: What can you tell us about KBS’ real estate strategy?

Rodney: Driven by the desire to make
every KBS property perform at the top
of its peer set, and the belief that we‘re
in the business of serving our building
tenants, KBS employs an active, hands-
on asset management philosophy.

We believe the frequency of contact

is critical to our success. We travel to
our properties often to understand the
needs of the tenants, meet with real
estate professionals and promote a
collaborative work environment that
allows us to raise the bar on customer
service, and ultimately, deliver
maximum bottom line results.

We approach each asset by figuring
out the property’s unique potential
and appeal to the marketplace while
building the story behind it. We
believe in listening to our tenants‘
needs and translating those needs
into solutions. We are in the business
of serving tenants and creating work
environments that help our clients
run successful businesses. Remaining
sensitive to the current challenges
companies face. and how KBS can
help resolve those challenges with
real estate solutions, puts us at the
forefront of transforming workplaces
into a destination.

Paul: What are the next big
trends in real estate and where
are opportunities for growth?

Rodney: In today’s market, most
businesses view real estate as a strategic
competitive advantage and are making
real estate decisions based on where the
workforce lives and formulating a plan

to attract top talent. Companies are also
placing an intense focus on major trends
such as technology. amenities and space
design to attract top talent. Providing
tenants with a creative building that has a
unique story to tell allows them to benefit
from a non-commodity solution that both
serves the tenant and adds value for the
investor. We believe employers are being
faced with more hiring challenges, and we
want to assist them by developing safe,
functional workplaces so we can do our
part in retaining their top talent.

17

Clockwise from (top) left: Union Bank Plaza lobby in
downtown Los Angeles: Located in Orange County.

City Tower’s conference room is one of its many on-site
amenities: 201 Spear Street located just off the waterfront
in San Francisco’s South Financial District; Union Bank
Plaza during sunset in downtown Los Angeles

Paul: What future initiatives and forward-thinking strategies

is KBS employing to deliver results?

Rodney: There isn’t a predetermined
set of rules we bring to the market.
Every market. building and tenant

is different — so we don’t work that
way. The majority of KBS buildings
are exclusive and positioned with our
tenants in mind. from the design and
building amenities to service offerings
and the management team. When a
tenant walks into a KBS building, we
want them to experience something
speciaI—something that makes them
feel successful, energized, supported
and inspired. We want them to

18 THE EDGE

visualize themselves there every day,
and look forward to coming back.

For a typical KBS tenant. human
capital is a key part of their company
value proposition. Therefore, listening
to our customers is one of the most
important things we can do to ensure
we successfully adapt and support
the evolving workplace. Our ability to
leverage these trends, find new ways
to support our tenants and anticipate
their needs is key to being a thought
leader in our industry.

Paul: How does Cushman

& Wakefield support your
strategic initiatives across the
KBS portfolio?

Rodney: The Cushman & Wakefield teams
are excellent at providing real estate
solutions that align with our strategic goals
and objectives and deliver exceptional
tenant satisfaction. Their extensive
knowledge paired with deep industry
connections provides our clients with
leading insight into each asset’s market
position — enhancing the client experience.
Investing in a partnership with Cushman

& Wakefield has proven successful,

driving our results as an organization and
maximizing the value of our portfolio.