Los Angeles – Caruso Affiliated, one of the most successful privately held real estate development companies in the nation, announced that Chris Brandon has joined the company as Vice President of Leasing. Joining from Westfield, where he was ranked among the top five dealmakers in the country, Brandon is responsible for strategic tenant acquisition and proposal negotiations for the Caruso retail portfolio.
“Chris’s diverse experience and energy will be a significant asset to our leasing team,” said Rick J. Caruso, Founder and CEO of Caruso Affiliated. “Chris Brandon is a seasoned leasing strategist with a proven track record. He will play a key role in leading our portfolio-wide leasing efforts as we seek to curate our properties to fit the needs of each community they serve.”
Prior to Brandon’s tenure at Westfield where he was responsible for shopping center leasing as well as merchandising, Brandon served as Leasing Director at CIM Group where he initiated leases for the company’s national portfolio and managed all stages of lease negotiations.
Caruso Affiliated is one of the largest and most successful privately held real estate development companies in the United States. They develop, own and manage a portfolio of highly specialized retail and residential properties that command sales per square foot 75% above the industry average. Average consumer expenditures nearly double that of regional malls and sales growth is nearly three times that of traditional malls. Its portfolio encompasses a world-class collection of properties that attract millions of people annually, including one of its premier developments, The Grove, which attracts more guests per year than Disneyland. Two of Caruso Affiliated’s properties – The Grove and The Americana at Brand – rank in Shopping Center Today’s list of the top 15 shopping centers in the world based on sales per square foot. Caruso Affiliated properties are designed to make them more than retail and residential sites, they are central gathering places for the communities they serve, as well as premier tourist destinations. The Caruso Affiliated portfolio also includes the Caruso Affiliated Dining Group, which owns and operates six restaurants in Southern California. On the hospitality side, Caruso Affiliated is in development on The Miramar Beach Resort and Bungalows, its first luxury resort property in Montecito, CA. Caruso Affiliated is also currently spearheading one of the largest retail development programs in the nation, which is expected to generate $80 million annually in new taxes for state and local governments as well as 11,000 construction jobs and 8,000 permanent jobs.