JLL opens first global centre for technology, data management in B’luru

Team Udayavani, Nov 14, 2018, 3:18 PM IST

Bengaluru: International property consultant JLL Wednesday started its first global technology and data management centre here in India to provide digital solutions to its real estate clients across the world.

JLL, the US-based Fortune 500 company, has set up this global Centre of Expertise (CoE) over 20,000 sq ft area at Prestige Trade Towers office complex here.

The centre has been opened with 170 highly skilled tech experts and the company would hire more employees. This facility is focused on harnessing emerging technologies and developing new solutions for JLL and its over 30,000 clients across the world.

“Real estate industry is going through a change globally. The use of technology is growing. PropTech start ups have received USD 7.8 billion investment globally during 2012-17, of which 60 per cent came in Asia Pacific,” JLL Asia Pacific CEO Anthony Couse told reporters here.

Technology and data will revolutionise the way real estate business is being undertaken and JLL wants to be at the forefront of this digital transformation, Couse said.

“What FinTech is for financial sector, PropTech will be for real estate industry,” he said.

The centre will drive rapid iterative innovation, aiming to set new standards for the commercial real estate industry. This includes experimenting with data and technology design, artificial intelligence, augmented reality, virtual reality and other emerging technologies to help JLL’s clients to make smarter decisions about real estate.

“PropTech is an emerging concept in India, with ample opportunity for growth. Locating our Global Centre of Expertise in Bangalore allows us to be at the heart of innovation and disruption, JLL India CEO and Country Head Ramesh Nair said.

He said the company is entering into a new age of transformation by leveraging PropTech to help solve clients’ problems. PropTech start-ups in India have got USD 1 billion investment between 2012 and 2017.

George Thomas, CIO, JLL Asia Pacific, said: “Aligned to our technology and data executive management team at JLL, the CoE will also serve as a liquid lab to architect, build and test advanced digital products to support our clients, as well as our firm.” 

JLL, which is listed on New York Stock Exchange, is a leading professional services firm that specialises in real estate and investment management. It has operations in over 80 countries and a global workforce of 88,000 as of September 30, 2018.