Los Angeles, CA Colliers Mortgage, the debt financing arm of Colliers | U.S., appointed industry veterans Jonathan Lee and Shahin Yazdi as executive managing directors in the firm’s local office to expand its West Coast presence. The new leadership will help grow production on the West Coast and beyond, sourcing debt and equity for all categories of commercial real estate assets. The team will report to John Randall, head of national production.
Prior to Colliers, Lee and Yazdi spent a combined 35 years at George Smith Partners, a leading provider of capital market services to the commercial real estate industry, and have collectively closed on more than $10 billion in transactions. The team’s most notable 2023 transaction involved $83 million in construction financing for Township 9, a multifamily development in Sacramento, CA.
“Their strong track record of success, leadership experience and deep client relationships will accelerate Colliers’ growth trajectory on the West Coast,” Randall said of Lee and Yazdi.
Lee, who co-heads the Structured Finance Group in Los Angeles alongside Yazdi, specializes in ground-up construction, permanent, and bridge financing. During his career, he has arranged debt, preferred equity, and JV equity structures. As a former developer, Lee leverages his experience in development to customize client plans that manage risk profiles and maximize returns. An active community and civic leader, Lee serves on the Board at the Union Rescue Mission and graduated from UCLA.
Yazdi has nearly 20 years of experience in debt and equity financing for all asset types including multifamily, bult-to-rent (BTR) housing, industrial, office, retail, hospitality, self-storage, land, RV parks, assisted living, skilled nursing facilities, and student housing projects. A graduate of the University of California, Santa Barbara, Yazdi has been involved in multiple charitable organizations including the Jewish Big Brothers Big Sisters of Los Angeles, the Los Angeles Ronald McDonald House, and the Water Buffalo Club.
“After 16 plus years of working together under the same banner, we are excited to build a new legacy at Colliers. Our debt and equity financing experience combined with Colliers’ brand and national footprint are a very synergistic fit,” said Lee.
“With this move, we are thrilled with the opportunity to take the relationships we have forged and bring even more resources to our clients and colleagues,” Yazdi said.
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