C&W maps out road ahead in new real estate world.

Heightened international security, global economic changes, strategic structuring of corporate real estate and an increased interest in corporate social responsibility are developing trends on the global horizon, executives were told at Cushman & Wakefield's International Occupier Conference, held in midtown Manhattan.

"The world has changed since 1991 when Cushman & Wakefield was mostly a U.S. brokerage firm," said Arsh Chaudhry, managing director, client solutions, Cushman & Wakefield.

"Our International Operations have had enormous growth, accounting for 26 percent of last year's revenue. Within the next few years, the international offices are expected to account for half of Cushman & Wakefield's revenue. It's vital for real estate professionals to be aware of issues concerning the global market."

Christopher Grniet, vice president and Northeast regional manager of Kroll Schiff & Associates--a security consulting company whose parent, Kroll Worldwide, has a strategic alliance with Cushman & Wakefield--told the conference how post-9/11 anti-U.S, sentiment has increased in certain parts of the world.

Grniet outlined several measures companies can take to reduce the risk of threats posed to them and their personnel.

Lawrence J. White, Ph.D., a professor at New York University's Stern School of Business, set the stage with an overview of the global economy. The U.S. economy is fairly strong, due in part to its high savings rate, human capital, openness of economy and flexibility of its labor markets. However, Dr. White pointed out, there are some "dark clouds" on the horizon.

"Several factors could have a negative impact on the U.S. economy," said Dr. White. "Continued trade deficits mean the U.S. is increasingly indebted to non-U.S. markets. In addition, inadequate private savings, the cost of anti-terrorism and rising energy costs are issues that need to be addressed."

On the global front, Dr. White labeled the European economy "so-so" in comparison to the U.S. Though some countries, such as Ireland, are in good shape economically.

Japan is also performing "so-so," although it is a rich country and operating at a high level, it has had relatively slow growth. Contrarily, China and India are looking at rapid growth, but are starting from a low operating level

"Current trends in corporate real estate reveal we're steering away from a focus on simple transaction management," said Andrew Simon of Simon Partners, a corporate advisory and consulting firm. "Rather, we need to create a framework for real estate decision-making, as well as develop reporting and delivery processes to let businesses know what we're doing and if we're doing it properly."

It's crucial for third party service provider, like Cushman & Wakefield, to develop a strong relationship with business owners, stressed Mr. Simon.