
Michelle Needles
Head of Enterprise Client Solutions | Executive Vice President, Occupier Services | Americas
License # 475145972
About
Professional Summary
Michelle joined Colliers in 2014 and serves as a leader within the Corporate Solutions team, specializing in Enterprise Solutions. As the Head of the Enterprise Client Solutions function, Michelle is accomplished in the delivery of complex solutions both in solution design, as well as transaction execution and account management.
As part of the Solutioning process, Michelle is an active Transition Leader, onboarding key account relationships, with a subject matter expertise in the global Transaction Management service delivery. Michelle has led multi-disciplinary global account transitions for Cummins, the International Monetary Fund, BAE Systems, Alcon, Driscoll’s, and others.
Michelle brings her passion for creating inclusive cultures to all aspects of her role and has been active in the Colliers’ Diversity and Inclusion Program since its inception. Michelle has been serving as an Executive Champion for the North American program since 2017.
Accomplishments
Prior to Colliers, Michelle led the Transaction Management service line at the former Studley, Inc., where she managed client portfolios totaling over 25 million square feet and executed transactions on behalf of clients including Canon USA, McGladrey (RSM), Harman International and to name a few.
Prior to Savills Studley, she spent eleven years with CBRE in Global Corporate Services, managing multi-market transaction accounts across all regions. Her clients included Marriott, Tellabs, American Express and Nielsen.
Michelle has driven numerous successful initiatives with current and former clients, highlights including the solution development and transition of over 250 million square feet in over 100 countries.
Recognized by her peers as an industry leader, recent award recognition includes:
- HCL’s Red Ladder Unstoppable Women Award, 2020
- GlobeStreet’s 2020 Women of Influence Award, 2020
- Colliers’ Sachin Sehgal “Spirit of Colliers Award”, 2020
- Colliers' Global Occupier Services Win of the Year, 2021
Michelle is an accomplished public speaker, and in January, 2019 she was a featured presenter at the TedX Hiernymous Park event. Her talk, "Is That What She Said?" brought forth new ideas on how to manage commonly uncomfortable conversations.
Education
Michelle is a graduate of the James Madison College at Michigan State University, holding a Bachelor of Arts in Political Theory and Constitutional Democracy. While at Michigan State, Michelle was a member of the MSU Women's Rugby team and held various leadership positions with the Phi Mu Sorority.
Memberships & Involvements
Michelle has served as a mentor with the Global Mentoring Initiative, as well as serving as a mentor to rising industry professionals. Michelle has served on the boards of the Boys and Girls Club as well as CASA and has coached her local high school girls’ rugby team to consecutive State Championships.
Colliers Diversity & Inclusion Program: Program Champion and Executive Steering Committee Member
IAOP: RE/FM Chapter Chairwoman
Corenet: Member
IAMC: Member
ULI: Member
Services
Service Lines
Property Type
Specializations
My Team
My Team
Warwick Johnston
Head of Enterprise Market Solutions | Executive Vice President , Occupier Services | Americas
Atlanta
Warwick Johnston is Head of Solutions Development, Corporate Solutions | Americas at Colliers International and is responsible for leadership of all aspects of Corporate Solutions business development and marketing. Corporate Solutions houses the service lines that are typically offered to multi-market and/or multi-service Occupier Clients. These service lines include Strategy and Innovation (consulting and technology services and lease administration), Account Management, Solutions Development, Transaction Management, Project Management, and Facilities Management. As part of leading Solutions Development, Warwick also works actively with some clients to develop an in-depth understanding of their key business strategies, create a customized solution to meet their objectives and hand over to the deployment team for the execution of that strategy on an on-going basis.
KB Yabuku currently serves as Vice President, Enterprise Client Solutions, Occupier Services of Americas at Colliers International. Occupier Services makes up the platform of tools and talent that supports our clients directly and through transaction advisory professionals leading Occupier client relationships. These engagements include tenant representation and project management assignments, multi-market accounts, to Corporate Solutions outsourcing. Occupier Services includes service lines such as Account Management, Client Experience, Consulting, Technology Services (including our Colliers360 technology), Lease Administration, Transaction Management and Project Management. Occupier Services is directly accountable for the major client engagements based in all regions of Americas, EMEA and APAC.
Prior to working with Colliers, KB worked with Atlanta based full service real estate firm, Ackerman & Co., where he served as Vice President of the investment sales team advising buyers and sellers in the acquisition and disposition of retail and industrial property throughout the country.
Prior to Ackerman & Co., KB served as Associate Director for Stan Johnson Company, where he specialized in the sale of net-lease retail properties throughout the country. His clients included programmatic developers, institutional owners and high net-worth investors worldwide.
Prior to joining Stan Johnson Company, KB worked in the commercial banking arena for BB&T (now Truist), where his roles included commercial relationship manager and underwriter for the commercial real estate group, working primarily with local and regional developers of office, industrial, retail, and multifamily property types.
KB began his career with Jones Lang LaSalle in 2006, working as an office tenant representation broker in Atlanta