CBRE Group, Inc.
Explore CBRE Group
Core profile pages, annual revenue records, and related research hubs for this company.
CBRE Group, Inc.
Explore CBRE Group
Core profile pages, annual revenue records, and related research hubs for this company.
Company History
Founded 1906 in Dallas, Texas
San Francisco, 1906. Colbert Coldwell and Arthur Banker founded the firm that would eventually become CBRE in the aftermath of the earthquake that destroyed much of the city. The founding thesis was that the rebuilding of San Francisco would require professional real estate advisory services — managing property dispositions, handling lease negotiations, assisting with construction projects — at a scale that individual property owners couldn't manage themselves.
The firm grew steadily through the 20th century, expanding from California to national coverage through a combination of organic growth and regional acquisitions. The most consequential structural event was the 1989 merger with Richard Ellis, the British commercial real estate firm, which created the first genuinely transatlantic commercial real estate advisory operation. The combined firm could serve multinational corporations on both sides of the Atlantic from a single relationship — a capability that American and European corporations were increasingly demanding as they expanded internationally.
The 2004 IPO gave CBRE access to public market capital for the aggressive acquisition strategy that defined the following decade. The Trammell Crow acquisition in 2006 added development capabilities. ING Real Estate Investment Management, acquired in 2011, added investment management assets under management that gave the firm a direct stake in the properties it helped clients buy and manage.
The 2015 global rebrand to CBRE — consolidating various regional names and legacy brands under a single identifier — reflected the completion of a two-decade integration process that had assembled dozens of regional firms into a coherent global operation. By that point, CBRE had more real estate professionals in more countries than any competitor by a margin significant enough that the question had shifted from how to grow to how to maintain quality across the scale.
Born in the late 19th century, Colbert Coldwell emerged as a pivotal figure in the reconstruction of San Francisco following the devastating earthquake and fires of 1906. Recognizing that the rebuilding of a modern metropolis would require a departure from the informal, often corrupt real estate dealings of the era, he partnered with Arthur Banker to establish a firm built on rigorous market analysis and aggressive client representation. Coldwell’s leadership style was characterized by an unwavering commitment to professionalism and an aggressive expansionist vision. He pioneered the concept of the commercial real estate brokerage, introducing systematic approaches to property valuation and sales that set a new industry standard. His strategic foresight in establishing a coast-to-coast network of offices allowed the firm to capitalize on the booming post-war economic expansion, transforming a local San Francisco startup into a national powerhouse. Coldwell’s legacy is deeply embedded in the firm’s core values of integrity, client service, and market expertise, principles that continue to govern the company’s operational strategy and corporate culture to this day, making him one of the most important architects of the modern commercial real estate industry.
As a leading figure in the San Francisco business community, Arthur Banker brought immense operational credibility and access to deep pools of local capital to the partnership with Colbert Coldwell. While Coldwell understood the mechanics of property valuation and sales, Banker understood how to structure the enterprise, manage its rapid expansion, and navigate the complex regulatory and political landscape of a city rebuilding from total destruction. His involvement ensured that the new company was not just another informal brokerage, but a highly capitalized, professional corporation capable of handling the massive real estate transactions required for the reconstruction of the American West. Banker’s operational acumen allowed the firm to survive its earliest crises, establishing a reputation for reliability and financial stability that attracted the region’s most prominent corporate clients. His legacy is deeply embedded in the firm’s conservative, fortress-like approach to balance sheet management and its sophisticated integration of local market expertise with national scale, principles that continue to govern the company’s financial strategy and operational execution to this day.
Colbert Coldwell and Arthur Banker established Coldwell, Banker & Co. after the San Francisco earthquake.
The Coldwell Banker commercial business combined with Richard Ellis, creating a broader global real estate services platform.
CBRE completed its public listing, giving the company capital for acquisitions and global expansion.
CBRE acquired Trammell Crow Company, adding a major development and investment capability.
CBRE expanded outsourced facilities and workplace services, increasing its recurring revenue base.
CBRE reported $40.55 billion in revenue and more than 155,000 employees in its 2025 Form 10-K.
The firm acquired Trammell Crow Company, one of the nation’s oldest and most prolific commercial real estate development firms, to vertically integrate its capabilities and capture the high-margin development yield. This move was designed to create a closed-loop ecosystem where CBRE could advise on land acquisition, develop the asset, lease the space, and manage the facility.
The firm acquired the GWS division from Johnson Controls to instantly scale its recurring facilities management business and fundamentally shift its revenue mix away from the extreme cyclicality of the transaction markets. This strategic masterstroke was designed to secure billions in long-term, sticky contracts with massive corporate occupiers.
The firm acquired FacilitySource, a leading provider of national facility maintenance and repair services, to enhance the operational capabilities of its GWS division. This bolt-on acquisition was designed to bring specialized, multi-trade maintenance expertise in-house, improving service delivery, reducing reliance on third-party vendors, and driving further margin expansion.
CBRE traces its origins to 1906, with Colbert Coldwell and Arthur Banker tied to the founding story.
The Trammell Crow acquisition deepened CBRE's outsourcing and development-services platform.
CBRE expanded by building leasing, capital markets, property sales, facilities management, project management, valuations, and investment management, serving corporate occupiers, landlords, investors, developers, institutions, and real estate owners, and using global occupier services, recurring outsourcing revenue, capital markets, workplace services, and investment management.
This CBRE history page covers founding, growth milestones, leadership changes, and modern strategic context.