In this interview, Daniel Holmes, Colliers’ president of Canadian brokerage services, shares his views on proptech, AI, leadership and other matters.

Holmes oversees the firm’s national brokerage business and operations support for office, industrial, retail, investment sales, debt and hotels.

How do you navigate the transition from established practices to pioneering new frontiers within your organization?

At Colliers, our brokerage teams are filled with experts across the country that have decades of experience and a vast knowledge of not only the market, but clients’ needs. Our advisors provide insights into the unique opportunities of not only commercial real estate, but the growth potential of their business while advising on trends that will help them meet their needs in the future.  

By bringing in new talent to be mentored by senior advisors, we are able to embrace innovative perspectives on how things have been done traditionally.

We have a rigorous learning and development program for our advisors, and our internship program provides the next generation with an opportunity to embed with teams and learn from leaders across our business. We have a global brand, along with the resources and infrastructure of a global company, and that is very attractive. We also have a culture that offers people autonomy while being part of a team working toward a common vision. We help our people do extraordinary things.

What recent organizational accomplishment brings you the most satisfaction? What specific challenges did it overcome, and what key factors led to its success?

Our culture is the backbone of our success. Our company values aren’t just something on a wall, but how we operate day-to-day. We have been relentless in our efforts to create stability while navigating the market and I’m proud of how we’ve navigated this uncertain time.  

This year, we achieved record high employee engagement scores amongst our operations staff and advisors. Colliers also received a series of awards and accolades  including recognition as one of Canada’s Best Workplaces, Greater Toronto Area’s Top Employers and Best Workplaces with the Most Trusted Executive Teams. We were also named to the TIME World’s Best Companies list. I’m proud of what we’ve achieved as a company, but I’m even more proud of our people and their accomplishments: six of our advisors were recognized with our most senior title, Vice Chair, and we welcomed 48 new inductees to our prestigious Everest Club, made up of the top revenue producers in our business. We offer incredibly rewarding career opportunities for our people to accelerate their success. 

What recent industry advancement impresses you the most, and why?

Three major trends have really started to shift the trajectory of how commercial real estate has advanced: sustainability, data analytics, and digital marketing. 

Sustainability has become incredibly important on the industry as stewardship of our environment through responsible business practices become ethically and fiscally necessary. So far, we’ve seen energy-efficient buildings with new certifications and leading standards become the most sought after on the market.  

Access to information has always been an important part of the industry, but data analytics now allows us to make sense of it all in a meaningful way that directs our advice to clients. The advanced tools we use at Colliers allow us to access more accurate market predictions, property valuations, and GIS mapping. 

Finally, digital marketing has become a new frontier of promotion. It allows us to target the relevant stakeholders and interested parties, making it more effective on getting the word out. It also has allowed real-time conversations between our advisors and interested parties, answering questions and connecting.  

Looking forward, what critical changes do you foresee for the industry in the coming years? What advancements do you hope for?

AI is the buzzword of the year, and implemented effectively, it can be a driving force of change in commercial real estate, particularly for property valuations, market analysis and predictive modelling. AI has the potential to provide more accurate pricing strategies, timing of the market, and help make investment decisions for our clients.  It will be interesting to see how access to all this data can be used for dynamic pricing models that include demand and seasonality for flexible lease pricing. 

I believe that we will see more advancements in proptech integration to help usher in the next generation of commercial buildings. Smart-building technology and sensors can help establish predictive maintenance, keeping landlords in a proactive versus reactive position. We are likely to witness biometric security entering the ecosystem of buildings to reinforce access control and security systems.

Experience mapping, including detailed tracking and analysis of how people interact with physical spaces could be the next frontier of workplace strategies and the future of office.