Matt Lefevere

For more than 20 years I’ve guided many of Colliers International’s largest clients to develop and execute real estate strategies that maximize their short- and long-term business objectives. With expertise in the areas of strategic real estate planning and transaction management, I ensure my clients’ real estate remains an enabler, and not a constraint, to their success.

My team and I have successfully completed more than 30 million square feet of transactions for corporate clients globally, with a total value of more than $3 billion. Some of the clients who have benefited from my expertise include Schneider Electric, Scientific Games, Wells Fargo, ULTA, and Alstom Power, among others.

I began my career as a corporate attorney at Katten Muchin. The skills I used as an attorney, such as the relentless pursuit of my clients’ objectives and goals while delivering an experience far exceeding expectations, were foundational to my success in the commercial real estate industry.

I am active in the community as a member of the Board of Directors of Communities in Schools of Chicago, and I enjoy spending time in Chicago with my wife, Laura, and two sons, Cameron and Daniel.

Many of Colliers International’s largest clients partner with me to develop and execute real estate strategies that maximize economic outcomes and ensure their real estate remains aligned with their short- and long-term business operating objectives. As a tenant representative focused on providing full-service commercial real estate counsel, I work with a diverse set of clients including office, industrial, retail and medical users.

My practice focuses on a unique capital markets-based approach to advising clients in transaction implementation. I work with my clients to identify potential distress in the capital stack of assets where they are the single or anchor tenants and then use this vulnerability to the tenant’s economic benefit. Leveraging this expertise, I have successfully completed more than three million square feet of transactions within the past three years, saving my clients more than $35 million.

Prior to joining Colliers, I cultivated national accounts through strategic real estate planning, market expertise and transaction management as a tenant representative with New York-based real estate advisory firm, Newmark Knight Frank.

Before Newmark Knight Frank, I spent three years in the banking and finance industry.

With a strong quantitative background, I excel at using data to solve complex business issues. I leverage this skillset in leading the Workforce Analytics consulting practice for the Americas. 

My team provides an integrated approach to people, place and process powered by agile technology and advanced analytics to equip organizations with workforce-related insights to make quantitatively justifiable location-related decisions in labor markets around the world.

Prior to leading the Workforce Analytics team, I was a director on a Chicago-based corporate solutions team where I led a team of developers in developing tools and financial models to help clients address their most complex business challenges. These ranged from fully integrated finacial statement and risk models to landlord vulnerability and business intelligence tools.

Before joinging Colliers in 2015, I spent nearly 4 years working in a variety of roles at Allstate Insurance Company. There I held a number of roles and developed a distinct ability to 1) understand the root cause of the business problem, 2) identify the data required to solve the business problem 3) leverage the technical capabilities of myself and others to analyze the data, synthesisize the finding and communicate with leadership to solve the business problem. 

While at Allstate, I spent time as the lead financial and operational consultant to the Allstate Contact Centers which employ more than 3,000 FTE. In this role I led a redesign of the staffing model to more efficiently match supply (labor hours) and demand (call volume) which drove a double-digit improvement in utilization and improved profitability.

In my time on the agency economics team, I developed a model that identified inefficiencies in the agency compensation system and designed solutions to redistribute capital, helping drive profitable growth for the organization. This project led to a role on a team of 5 charged with a  complete redesign of the company’s $3 billion sales compensation program.

As a senior client services specialist with Colliers International’s Corporate Solutions team, I am a direct liaison between the broker team and our client base. I manage the communication process end-to-end and provide support through marketing strategy, meeting and event planning, and project management.

Prior to joining Colliers, I spent two years as an associate for the HEARN company in Chicago, where I represented the in-house leasing team. I have been involved with leasing buildings such as the John Hancock Center and Three First National Plaza. 

Prior to HEARN, I spent five years with Lululemon Athletica, where I worked on the community engagement and branding teams.

As an associate with Colliers International | Chicago’s Corporate Solutions Group, I am a tenant representative focused on providing full-service commercial real estate counsel for a diverse group of clients including office, industrial and medical users.

I work closely with my team and clients to provide real estate strategies and services relating to: 

• Facility Relocations & Acquisitions
• Build-to-Suits
• Lease Renegotiation & Renewal
• Disposition & Subleases
• Space Expansion & Consolidation
• Investment/Financing Alternatives
• Business Unit Analysis/Workplace Design
• Lease and Operating Cost Analysis/Audits
• In-Depth Location Analysis
• Supplier/Employer Mapping

The team ensures these strategies maximize clients’ economic outcomes while ensuring the real estate is always aligned with the company’s short- and long-term business operating objectives. 

I began my career with EY Chicago in 2016 as a financial services assurance staff. I focused on clients in the investment banking, capital markets, and asset management areas. Shortly after, I joined Colliers | Chicago where I worked as a transaction services specialist. In this role, I helped assist a global account with 250+ properties for all transactions and lease administration needs. My responsibilities included corporate real estate strategy development, site selection, proposal and lease negotiation, and financial analysis.