CBRE Names Ken Manke Leader of Life Sciences Division

CBRE Group, Inc. has named Ken Manke to lead its Americas Life Sciences division. Working within the firm’s Global Workplace Solutions (GWS) segment, Mr. Manke will oversee service delivery to enterprise clients within the life sciences, pharmaceutical and bio-tech industries.

Mr. Manke’s appointment comes at a time of robust growth for the firm’s Life Sciences business, which has significantly increased its client base and management portfolio over the last few years. It also comes at a time when Life Sciences companies are undergoing significant change with respect to research, innovation, product development and integrated service delivery. In his new role, Mr. Manke will be responsible for aligning CBRE’s capabilities with these changing industry needs, further enhancing quality and compliance support and providing exceptional outcomes to clients.

Mr. Manke brings 20 years of supply chain and outsourcing executive experience to the role. For the past three years, he has led CBRE’s account relationship with a global Life Sciences client, and prior to that, he oversaw real estate and facilities activities for a global consumer goods company. He is a former member of CoreNet Global’s Board of Directors.

“Ken is a highly experienced and respected leader in our company and in the industry,” said Jim Wilson, Americas CEO of CBRE GWS. “He has a strong record of accomplishment in overseeing the corporate real estate operations of clients with complex portfolios including those in the Life Sciences industry—he’s a great fit for this role.”

In Mr. Manke’s new role, he will work closely with Todd Richardson, who will continue to lead Client Solutions for the Life Sciences sector.

CBRE manages hundreds of Life Sciences facilities worldwide, including laboratory, clean room, regulated manufacturing, vivarium and other specialized spaces. More than 4,000 employees work within the firm’s Life Sciences business with roles ranging from management and strategy to building maintenance and technical calibration. The firm’s offerings include industry-leading solutions for metrology, lab instrumentation services and laboratory asset management.