JLL launches Life Sciences practice group in Raleigh-Durham

Raleigh, N.C., Oct. 10, 2022 – JLL today announces the launch of a dedicated Life Sciences practice in the firm’s Raleigh-Durham office to build upon the firm’s capabilities and demonstrate its continued investment in the sector. The newly established focus will be led by Executive Vice President Eric Forshee, who brings over 13 years of industry experience and a focused perspective on life sciences to JLL.

“Raleigh-Durham has emerged as a top market for life sciences developments, and, while we’ve been doing work in the sector for some time, we see the introduction of a solidified business line as a huge growth opportunity for the market,” said Travis McCready, Head of Life Sciences, JLL Americas Markets. “Eric brings the right mix of real estate experience and industry expertise to the team, and we’re confident this investment will propel our business forward and generate excellent results for our clients.”

Life sciences has been a growing industry for many years, and there’s been a notable uptick post-pandemic as investment in new innovations and advanced modalities continues to drive the industry forward. In this new role, Forshee will build on the office’s existing Life Sciences efforts and provide expertise to clients looking to enter or expand in the market. He brings valuable knowledge of the capital investment needed to support research and manufacturing operations for these clients. Forshee will be partnering with other JLL Life Sciences hubs including Boston, San Diego and Bay Area to enhance our expertise and service delivery to our clients. He previously served as a Senior Vice President at Colliers, specializing in landlord representation of office and life sciences buildings.

“JLL is a national leader in advancing the growth and innovation of the life sciences sector, and there is a tremendous opportunity to build upon the team’s existing efforts and investments in Raleigh-Durham,” added Forshee. “As a North Carolina native and Raleigh-Durham resident, I’m looking forward to applying my knowledge of the region and industry to support JLL’s capabilities across the Triangle. This dedicated practice will allow our team to continue delivering high-quality services and industry-leading solutions for our clients during a critical period of growth for the market.”

According to JLL’s 2022 Life Sciences Research Outlook & Cluster Rankings, Raleigh-Durham ranks sixth on the list of strongly positioned cluster markets, exhibiting the factors needed for continued opportunity and growth. The cluster model is defined by the key components of a successful life sciences ecosystem, including access to talent, funding and real estate infrastructure.

Over the past two years, Raleigh-Durham delivered a strong amount of lab development and is considered one of the preeminent biomanufacturing hubs in North America. Notably, the success of biomanufacturing is a major differentiator for the market and as new drugs work through the trial stages and enter production, high-growth users will be attracted to the market’s strong labor force and innovation clusters.

"Eric’s vast knowledge of the Triangle region and future-forward mindset will bring a pivotal asset and perspective to our clients, and we're excited to welcome him to the team," said Kimarie Ankenbrand, JLL Raleigh-Durham Lead and Managing Director.

JLL's vision is to reimagine the world of real estate, creating, finding, locating and operating safe and amazing spaces. JLL’s Life Sciences team of 3,000+ experienced professionals are a safe pair of hands to help biotechnology, pharmaceutical, medical devices organizations, investors and developers achieve their ambitions. JLL brings deep understanding of location analytics, project management, research advisory, financial incentives, transaction management, capital markets, real estate strategy and technology, facilities management, regulatory compliance and quality, and more. Our solutions help fuel innovation, enhance efficiency, improve financial performance and attract and retain top talent. Our team is trained and certified to operate within office and critical, regulated environments of lab and manufacturing space. To learn more, visit us.jll.com/lifesciences.

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