Property guru Beckham signs for CBRE

CBRE unveiled a Beckham as its marquee signing on Thursday to boost the property agent’s wheeler-dealing capabilities in the capital.

James Beckham will join the so-called Green Machine as an executive director after two years at rival Cushman & Wakefield, where he has been at the heart of a series of mega-deals.

That included acting for Hong Kong food conglomerate Lee Kum Kee on its £1.3 billion swoop for the Walkie Talkie, making it the most expensive UK office block ever.

He also acted for British Land and Oxford Properties on its sale of the Cheesegrater this year.

The industry veteran is one of an elite cadre of agents dealing at the top end of the market including GE Real Estate’s Tony Gibbon and Franco Sidoli, also at CBRE.

But his spell at Cushman coincided with its merger with DTZ, a DTZ takeover in all but name according to industry insiders, which has seen a number of ex-Cushman staff depart.

Cushman says its “London business is stronger than ever”.