A major consolidation is underway in the commercial real estate advisory industry as global brokerage giant Savills moves to acquire investment bank Eastdil Secured in a transaction valued at approximately $1.1 billion including debt.
The deal combines one of the world’s largest real estate advisory firms with what many investors consider the leading real estate investment bank, significantly expanding Savills’ capital markets capabilities across the United States and globally.
Once completed, the acquisition is expected to create a major new competitor in global real estate advisory and transaction services, particularly in large institutional investment sales and debt advisory.
A Strategic Expansion in U.S. Capital Markets
London-based Savills has been steadily expanding its footprint in North America, the world’s largest commercial real estate investment market.
By acquiring Eastdil Secured, a firm known for advising on some of the industry’s largest transactions, Savills gains immediate scale in capital markets advisory, including:
- institutional investment sales
- structured finance and debt placement
- loan sales and recapitalizations
- M&A advisory for real estate companies.
Eastdil Secured generates roughly 76% of its revenue from North America, making the region a central component of the acquisition strategy.
Savills said the transaction is intended to strengthen its ability to advise clients across the full lifecycle of real estate ownership, from investment strategy and capital raising to asset management and disposition.
Eastdil Secured’s Dominant Role in Real Estate Investment Banking
Founded in 1967, Eastdil Secured built a reputation as one of the most influential advisory firms in institutional real estate capital markets.
The company specializes in large, complex real estate transactions and has historically advised on billions of dollars in property sales, recapitalizations, and financing deals each year.
Today the firm employs roughly 650 professionals across 20 offices worldwide, with headquarters in New York, Santa Monica, and London.
Its clients include many of the world’s largest real estate investors, private equity firms, sovereign wealth funds, and institutional asset managers.
Eastdil was previously owned by Guggenheim Investments and Temasek Holdings, which acquired the firm in 2019.
Structure of the Transaction
The $1.1 billion acquisition will be financed through a combination of debt and newly issued Savills shares, expanding the size of the publicly traded brokerage.
Under the agreement:
- Eastdil Secured will continue operating under its existing brand
- the firm will become Savills’ real estate investment banking platform
- Eastdil leadership will remain in place to guide operations.
Senior Eastdil employees are also expected to receive equity in the enlarged Savills organization, aligning incentives for the combined platform going forward.
Savills expects the acquisition to increase earnings per share by the low-to-mid teens by 2027, with projected revenue synergies of at least £60 million annually over the medium term.
What the Deal Signals for the CRE Advisory Industry
The acquisition reflects a broader shift toward consolidation in commercial real estate advisory and capital markets services.
Large brokerage firms have increasingly expanded into investment banking-style advisory services in recent years, blurring the traditional boundaries between brokerage, capital markets, and financial advisory.
By integrating Eastdil’s investment banking expertise with Savills’ global brokerage network, the combined firm will be positioned to compete more directly with major capital markets platforms operated by firms such as:
- CBRE
- JLL
- Cushman & Wakefield
Industry observers say the move could also trigger additional mergers among brokerage and advisory firms as companies seek to scale their capital markets capabilities globally.
Final Thoughts
Savills’ $1.1 billion acquisition of Eastdil Secured represents one of the most significant transactions in the commercial real estate advisory sector in recent years.
By combining a global brokerage platform with one of the industry’s leading investment banks, the deal positions Savills to play a much larger role in the institutional capital markets that drive large-scale real estate investment.
For investors and developers alike, the transaction underscores a broader trend shaping the industry: capital markets advisory is becoming increasingly global, integrated, and competitive.
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