CHICAGO (May 6, 2025) — Savills announced today that it has appointed James Otto as vice chairman and head of life sciences for the Chicago region. Otto joins the tenant advisory team led by Chairman of North American Brokerage Joe Learner and Chicago region President Robert Sevim.

“Adding James to our team is an exciting strategic investment and displays our commitment to delivering top-tier client service across all industry sectors,” said Sevim. “Besides his exemplary track record in office advisory, his deep understanding of the life sciences field will expand our tenant representation scope and augment our team’s capabilities as we deliver comprehensive, customized solutions to our clients in an evolving market.”

“The life sciences sector in the Midwest is rapidly expanding, fueled by growing demand for lab space and increased investment, due to the region’s strong foundation in research, healthcare, and innovation,” shares Savills Head of Life Sciences for North America, Austin Barrett. “We look forward to tapping into James's extensive experience as we continue to grow our life sciences platform across the country.”

Prior to his role with Savills, Otto served as Executive Vice President at CBRE, where he spent more than two decades in real estate advisory and transaction services. His career also includes significant global experience, highlighted by a two-year tenure in CBRE’s Tokyo office, where he advised occupiers across the Asia-Pacific region. Throughout his career, he has delivered over 10 million square feet of transactions valued at over $5 billion.

"Now more than ever, companies are putting a strong emphasis on talent and the employee experience,” said Otto. “I am excited to join Savills, a firm that values expertise, collaboration and client advocacy. I look forward to helping office and life sciences occupiers navigate the dynamic real estate landscape and capitalize on opportunities as the market continues to evolve."

With more than 40 offices and over 1,000 employees in North America, Savills provides local and international clients with a comprehensive and cohesive suite of services and solutions such as tenant representation, occupancy strategy and analytics, workplace strategy, capital markets, workforce and incentives strategy, labor analytics, and project management.