Financial Services >> CEO Interviews >> July 1, 1998
JAMES J. DIDION is Chairman and CEO of CB Commercial, the world's
leading real estate services company. Headquarters in Los Angeles, CB
Commercial serves real estate owners, users and investors in over 200
cities in 35 countries. The company's services include all manner of
brokerage, corporate, institutional management and financial services.
More specifically, CB Commercial's core services portfolio includes
commercial property sales and leasing, property management, corporate
advisory services and facilities management, mortgage banking, realty
advisory and investment management, capital markets, appraisal services,
financial consulting, market research and strategic information, and
human resources. Since beginning his career with CB Commercial 36 years
ago, Mr. Didion has served in a variety of positions with the firm,
which was founded in 1906. He was elected to his current position as
chairman and CEO in 1987. Notably, Mr. Didion was named 'Real Estate
Executive of the Year' for 1998 by readers of Commercial Property News
magazine, a leading industry publication. A longtime industry observer
and frequent speaker on real estate topics, Mr. Didion is active in
industry affairs on a global basis. He is a trustee of the Urban Land
Institute, the industry's preeminent education and research
organization, and is the immediate past chairman of the National Realty
Committee, which serves as the industry's influential advocate on
national public policy issues in Washington, D.C. A graduate of the
University of California at Berkeley, Mr. Didion serves on
the Advisory Board of the University of California's Haas School of
Business. Profile
Commercial today. A bit of an historical sketch and then bring us up to
date. Over the next two to three years, what do you see as
