CBRE taps new leader for Richmond, Norfolk

Global commercial real estate services and investment firm CBRE announced Tuesday that it is promoting its mid-Atlantic region senior sales director, Sarah Cooley, to managing director and market leader for the firm’s southern Virginia region, which includes CBRE’s Richmond and Norfolk offices.

In this role, Cooley will lead daily operations for the Fortune 500 firm’s advisory services business across the Richmond and Hampton Roads regions. She will also continue to serve on CBRE’s mid-Atlantic leadership team, helping develop and execute strategy for a region that includes six offices in Virginia, Maryland and Washington, D.C.

According to a spokesperson, Cooley had already been leading CBRE’s southern Virginia market in an interim capacity after Brad Flickinger retired last year.

“Sarah has consistently demonstrated the ability to translate strategy into measurable results,” said Kyle Schoppmann, president of CBRE’s mid-Atlantic markets, in a statement. “Her leadership has strengthened our presence in key markets, and with this promotion, she is well-positioned to continue accelerating growth in southern Virginia.”

She joined the leadership team in 2019 as senior sales director. The company credits her for playing an “instrumental” role in advancing the firm’s growth strategy across the mid-Atlantic region.

Cooley joined CBRE in 2011, serving in various roles in the Chicago market — including sales director — before relocating to Richmond in 2019.

Before CBRE, she worked at Courtesy Associates, where she managed government event planning and organized conferences for the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief.

She earned her bachelor’s degree in English from the University of Virginia.

“I’m honored to be stepping into the role of market leader and to have the opportunity to lead our talented teams in southern Virginia,” said Cooley in a statement. “I look forward to building on our strong foundation, continuing to grow and evolve our markets and ensuring we deliver exceptional results for our clients.”

Headquartered in Dallas, CBRE has more than 140,000 employees and serves clients in more than 100 countries.