Cresa
Cresa is a Chicago-based, privately held commercial real estate advisory firm founded in 1993 that exclusively represents corporate tenants and occupiers. With 1,300+ professionals across 55+ offices, it delivers tenant representation, project management, and the Cresa Core AI platform to 2,400+ enterprise clients.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1993
- HeadquartersChicago, United States
- Headcount1,001–5,000
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Cresa does
Cresa is a Chicago-headquartered, privately held commercial real estate advisory firm founded in 1993 that exclusively represents corporate tenants and occupiers. The firm employs 1,300+ professionals across 55+ offices in North America and serves more than 2,400 corporate clients. Cresa's core service lines include tenant representation and transaction management (commission-based fees on lease negotiations, acquisitions, and dispositions), project and program management (professional service fees for fit-out, construction oversight, and relocation), workplace strategy, and supply chain/industrial consulting. The firm serves a diversified enterprise client base across corporate offices, industrial occupiers, retail brands, healthcare providers, life sciences, nonprofits, government contractors, technology companies, law firms, and data center operators.
Cresa's product ecosystem is anchored by Cresa Core, an AI-powered commercial real estate intelligence platform launched in June 2026 that unifies portfolio strategy, site selection, benchmarking, transaction management, and portfolio optimization on a single enterprise data layer. Acquired technology platforms augment this stack: ManagePath and Visual Manager (from the Fischer acquisition, October 2025) handle corporate account and visual portfolio management, Bluechip Insights (acquired November 2025) provides demographic, incentive, labor, and AI-powered location analytics, and Agile Work Evolutions (acquired January 2022) delivers workplace strategy and hybrid-work implementation tooling. Cresa Core applies predictive analytics, recommendation engines, and natural language processing for scenario modeling and report generation.
The revenue model blends transaction-based commissions on completed deals with recurring professional services fees and, increasingly, technology-platform subscriptions tied to multi-year enterprise engagements. The firm executes an aggressive acquisition-driven growth strategy, having completed approximately seven acquisitions in two years, supported by a $52.7 million minority investment from Alaris Equity Partners in October 2025. A new senior leadership team — including CEO Ray Anderson (ex-EY-Parthenon, appointed February 2026) and President of Markets Julie Northcutt-Dunn (ex-Colliers, appointed June 2026) — is leading the next phase of organic growth, geographic expansion, and platform consolidation.
Cresa firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Cresa
- Legal name
- Cresa LLC
- Website
- https://cresa.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1993
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1,001–5,000 employees
- Short description
- Cresa is a Chicago-based, privately held commercial real estate advisory firm founded in 1993 that exclusively represents corporate tenants and occupiers. With 1,300+ professionals across 55+ offices, it delivers tenant representation, project management, and the Cresa Core AI platform to 2,400+ enterprise clients.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Cresa industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Commercial Real Estate Advisory
- NAICS
- Offices of Real Estate Agents and Brokers (5312), Offices of Real Estate Agents and Brokers (531210), Offices of Real Estate Agents and Brokers (53121)
- SIC
- Real Estate Agents & Managers (For Others) (6531)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Real Estate Capital Markets Advisory (Debt/Equity Placement, Refinancing) (BPAJANAE)
Keywords
Where Cresa is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Chicago
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices18 records
Markets served
Cresa business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Tenant Representation & Transaction Management: Core revenue stream from representing office and industrial occupiers in lease negotiations, acquisitions, and dispositions. The firm earns commission-based fees on completed transactions.
- Project Management Services: Portfolio Program Management, Workplace Consulting, Capital Project Management, and Transition and Relocation Management services. Revenue generated through professional service fees for managing construction, fit-out, and relocation projects.
- Supply Chain & Industrial Consulting: Data-driven consulting services including supply chain consulting, distribution network analytics, labor analytics, and location strategy that support industrial real estate decisions.
- Strategy & Analytics: Data analytics and consulting services providing demographic insights, incentive opportunities, real-time labor intelligence, and AI-powered location analysis for portfolio planning.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | Multi-year contract | Enterprise occupier advisory services |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels10 records
Cresa product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Cresa is a global commercial real estate advisory firm that exclusively represents tenants and occupiers, never landlords or sellers, removing conflict of interest from transactions. The firm delivers fully integrated real estate solutions including transaction management, project management, workplace strategy, portfolio optimization, site selection, and supply chain consulting. Cresa's services are powered by Cresa Core, an AI-powered commercial real estate intelligence platform that centralizes portfolio data, benchmarking, and analytics for corporate occupiers.
Product overview
Cresa is a commercial real estate advisory firm that operates as an occupier-only platform, offering a unified product ecosystem centered on Cresa Core, an AI-powered technology platform. Cresa Core integrates portfolio strategy, site selection, benchmarking, transaction management, and portfolio optimization. The portfolio also includes acquired technology platforms: ManagePath and Visual Manager (from Fischer acquisition) for corporate account management, and Bluechip Insights (data analytics). The firm has expanded through multiple acquisitions including Agile Work Evolutions (workplace strategy), PPM (project management), Fischer (advisory), and various regional tenant representation firms.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Cresa Core: AI-powered commercial real estate intelligence platform for occupiers that centralizes portfolio data, optimizes real estate strategy, and enables data-driven decisions
- ManagePath
- Visual Manager
Products and services
- Cresa Core AI-powered commercial real estate intelligence platform built for occupiers that centralizes portfolio strategy, site selection, benchmarking, transaction management, and portfolio optimization into one connected system. Provides enterprise-grade AI and real-time analytics to help corporate occupiers evaluate scenarios, reduce occupancy costs, and make faster real estate decisions.
- Tenant Representation and Transaction Management Core advisory service representing corporate tenants and occupiers exclusively in commercial real estate lease negotiations, site selection, acquisitions, dispositions, and portfolio transactions. Commission-based service for office, industrial, retail, healthcare, life sciences, and data center occupiers.
- Project Management Services Portfolio program management, workplace consulting, capital project management, and transition and relocation management services for corporate occupiers. Manages construction, fit-out, and relocation projects through professional service fees, with a 280+ person team across 35 markets.
- Supply Chain and Industrial Consulting Data-driven consulting services including supply chain consulting, distribution network analytics, labor analytics, and location strategy that support industrial real estate decisions. Includes business intelligence dashboards via Vālo Technology for industrial clients.
- Strategy and Analytics Services Data analytics and consulting services providing demographic insights, incentive opportunities, real-time labor intelligence, and AI-powered location analysis for portfolio planning. Delivered through the Bluechip Insights analytics platform acquired by Cresa in November 2025.
- Workplace Strategy Services Workplace strategy and implementation consulting for organizations navigating hybrid and remote work models. Includes flexible and responsive occupancy solutions delivered through the Agile Work Evolutions (AWE) technology acquired in 2022.
- Data Center Capital Markets Advisory Capital markets advisory and structured finance services for data center operators, hyperscalers, and technology companies requiring data center space to meet AI-driven demand. Includes acquisition, capital structuring, and site selection.
Quantifiable outcome
- Lease savings of 10%-30% typically achieved through tenant representation negotiation
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use Cresa
Customer profileNamed customers5 records
Segments10 records
Ideal customer profiles6 records
Cresa technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration1 record
AI capability4 records
Feature5 records
Cresa partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Five partnerships are on record, tiered core, minor and flagship.
- AssetBuiltcoreCresa announced a real estate partnership with AssetBuilt, a full-service industrial asset disposition and advisory firm backed by 200+ years of combined expertise. The partnership supports EV manufacturing facility and clean energy projects.
- TMX TransformcoreCresa partnered with TMX Transform to support Hasbro's new 600,000 square foot distribution center in Midway, Georgia. Cresa led lease negotiations while TMX Transform managed the supply chain transition and transition logistics.
- Jones Lang LaSalle (JLL)minorCresa and Savills represented the tenant (Lucid Private Offices) while JLL represented the landlord in the Nashville transaction at 1801 West End Avenue.
- EY (Ernst & Young)flagshipCresa is a National Sponsor of the EY Entrepreneur Of The Year program, recognizing and celebrating entrepreneurs who contribute to business innovation. The partnership aligns with Cresa's entrepreneurial culture and provides networking and mentorship opportunities within the entrepreneurial community.
- SavillsminorCresa partnered with Savills to represent tenant Lucid Private Offices in Nashville coworking location transaction. Cresa and Savills represented the tenant side.
Scale indicators15 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Cresa competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Savills: International real estate services firm with a notable occupier-focused practice. Cresa and Savills partnered to represent tenant Lucid Private Offices in Nashville, showing direct cooperation and competition in occupier mandates.
- NAI Global: Global network of independently owned commercial real estate brokerage firms offering tenant representation, property management, and advisory. Comparable to Cresa as a competing network/platform serving corporate occupiers.
- Avison Young: Global CRE services firm with strong occupier representation and principal-led brokerage model. Cresa hired Dave Sawdey from Avison Young, and both firms compete for enterprise occupier mandates across North America.
Regional players
- Transwestern: U.S.-focused commercial real estate firm offering agency leasing, tenant representation, and project management. Directly comparable to Cresa in tenant rep and project management services across major U.S. markets.
- Lee & Associates: Privately held North American commercial real estate brokerage with a principal-led model focused on tenant and owner representation. Comparable as a mid-sized competitor in occupier-focused CRE services, primarily in the U.S.
Broad incumbents
- Colliers International: Global CRE services firm offering brokerage, advisory, and project management. Cresa hired Julie Northcutt-Dunn from Colliers, signaling direct competition for enterprise occupier mandates and senior talent.
- CBRE Group: World's largest commercial real estate services firm offering brokerage, advisory, property management, and capital markets across all sides of transactions. CBRE is the dominant global incumbent Cresa competes against in enterprise occupier mandates.
- Cushman & Wakefield: Global commercial real estate services firm offering brokerage, valuation, and advisory. Several Cresa hires came from Cushman & Wakefield (e.g., Jon Olmstead), indicating direct talent and client competition.
- Jones Lang LaSalle (JLL): Global CRE services firm offering leasing, capital markets, property management, and advisory. JLL represents both occupiers and landlords and competes with Cresa in tenant representation, project management, and corporate occupier services.
- Newmark Group: Global CRE services firm with strong capital markets and data center advisory practices. Cresa hired Michael Morris and team from Newmark to build its data center platform, indicating direct competition in occupier services and capital markets.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Cresa social profiles
Digital presenceCresa financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Cresa leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles18 records
Cresa subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries8 records
Cresa funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds1 record
Investors1 record
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Cresa M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A8 records
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Cresa
What does Cresa do?
Cresa is a global commercial real estate advisory firm that exclusively represents tenants and occupiers, never landlords or sellers, removing conflict of interest from transactions. The firm delivers fully integrated real estate solutions including transaction management, project management, workplace strategy, portfolio optimization, site selection, and supply chain consulting. Cresa's services are powered by Cresa Core, an AI-powered commercial real estate intelligence platform that centralizes portfolio data, benchmarking, and analytics for corporate occupiers.
Is Cresa a public or private company?
Cresa is a private company. It is classified as venture growth investor backed and is currently operating.
When was Cresa founded?
Cresa was founded in 1993. It employs 1,001 to 5,000 people.
Where is Cresa based?
Cresa is headquartered in Chicago, United States, in the North America region.
How does Cresa make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Tenant Representation & Transaction Management is the primary driver. The others are project Management Services, supply Chain & Industrial Consulting and strategy & Analytics.
Who are Cresa's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Savills, NAI Global and Avison Young. Regional players are Transwestern and Lee & Associates. Broad incumbents are Colliers International, CBRE Group, Cushman & Wakefield, Jones Lang LaSalle (JLL) and Newmark Group.
Does Cresa have an API?
No public API is recorded for Cresa.
What industry is Cresa in?
Cresa's product category is Commercial Real Estate Advisory. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAJANAE, Real Estate Capital Markets Advisory (Debt/Equity Placement, Refinancing). Its NAICS code is 5312 and its SIC code is 6531.