In a deal that covers 8 million sq. ft. of office space, Chicago-based Jones Lang LaSalle has been chosen by Microsoft Corp. to manage the software provider’s worldwide real estate. The transaction excludes Microsoft’s corporate headquarters in the Seattle area, which the company owns.
Jones Lang LaSalle will handle Microsoft’s lease acquisitions, dispositions and renewals for a portfolio that includes property in the United States, Canada, Europe, the Middle East, Africa, Asia Pacific and Latin America, as well as coordinate all worldwide account activity. The three-year contract is expected to generate $3 million to $5 million in annual revenue for the real estate firm. Thomas Wilkinson, international director of Jones Lang LaSalle, will manage the assignment as global account manager for Microsoft.
"Utilizing the efficiencies of a single service provider will allow our field real estate organization to operate at a more strategic level," James Ableson, manager of U.S. and international real estate for Microsoft Corp., said in a statement.