New York, NY Market-leading commercial tenant experience technology firm, Equiem, continues to grow with the addition of real estate veterans, Michael Spies and Richard Saltzman, to its Board of Directors. The pair are the firm’s first U.S.-based board members and will advise on the company’s ongoing expansion across the U.S., as well as Equiem’s global growth strategy and product line.
The announcement caps off a busy few months for Equiem’s U.S. business, following expansions into Boston, Los Angeles and Austin. The firm’s technology is now rolled out across more than 18 million s/f of commercial space in the U.S. and is used by over 170,000 users across 70 million s/f worldwide.
“Michael and Richard both command enormous respect within the real estate industry and will bring a wealth of additional experience and knowledge to our board,” said Gabrielle McMillan, CEO of Equiem. “Michael’s expertise in developing and scaling innovative workplace solutions will help us to keep raising the bar for tenant experience technology, whilst Richard’s unparalleled knowledge of the investor market will ensure we keep tailoring our product to the precise needs of today’s commercial real estate owners and investors. Their appointments are a real sign of intent for us as a business and will help us further consolidate our position as the industry leader, both here in the USA and around the world. We look forward to working with Michael and Richard and to what will no doubt prove a hugely fruitful relationship with them both.”
Spies is the founder of Fuse Strategies, an investment and advisory platform active within property and technology. Prior to Fuse, Spies was a senior executive at Tishman Speyer.
where for over 30 years he pioneered entry into multiple international markets, led its European and India businesses, and chaired its global investment committee. He also established the firm’s innovation initiatives, including the conception of ZO., a pioneering workplace services platform, and Studio, a flexible working platform. Spies is a Global Governing Trustee of the Urban Land Institute, serves on the Board of Directors of TechnoServe, and on the Advisory Board for the Taubman Center in State and Local Government at Harvard University’s Kennedy School.
Saltzman is a private investor focusing on strategic affiliations with real estate and financial services operating platforms that include Ranger Global Real Estate Advisors and Peaceable Street Capital. Most recently, he was president and CEO of Colony Capital, Inc.
where for more than 15 years he helped transform the firm from a single opportunistic global strategy with approximately $3 billion of assets under management to a diversified real estate investment manager and owner with a greater than $43 billion footprint. Prior to that, he spent 24 years in investment banking primarily at Merrill Lynch, where he was the Global Head of Real Estate, amongst other responsibilities. Richard is also currently on the board of directors of Kimco Realty Corporation, is Chairman of Colony Credit Real Estate Inc. and serves on the board of the I Have a Dream Foundation.
Ferguson Partners advised Equiem on both appointments.