Professional Expertise

Ian O'Brien is an Associate Director in the Savills Seattle office, where he specializes in industrial real estate advisory for occupiers with complex operational and facility requirements. His practice focuses on transportation and logistics, cold storage, aerospace and defense, clean energy and manufacturing. Ian advises clients on site selection, portfolio and network strategy, workforce and labor analytics, utility requirements, financial structuring and real estate transactions, helping organizations align their facilities with broader operational and business objectives.

With more than a decade of consulting and operations experience, Ian brings a unique perspective to his role as an advisor. Prior to working in commercial real estate, he gained direct experience in the industrial sector, providing him with firsthand insight into the operational considerations that influence facility and location decisions. Ian applies this experience to evaluate factors including labor availability, utility infrastructure, transportation access, regulatory requirements and capital investment alongside traditional real estate considerations.

Ian has advised clients on significant industrial transactions and portfolio assignments throughout his career. His experience includes a 300,000-square-foot build-to-suit for a global appliance manufacturer; portfolio advisory services for a national logistics provider with a six million-square-foot real estate portfolio; a 225,000-square-foot development engagement for a national cold storage and third-party logistics company; and a 180,000-square-foot lease for a national food distributor. He has also supported contract negotiations for an advanced manufacturing facility for a defense contractor.

Awards, Achievements and Activities

Ian supports Treehouse, which improves educational outcomes for youth in foster care; Amara, which supports families and children in the foster care system; The Healing Center, which helps people navigating grief; The Breast Cancer Research Foundation; and Water1st International, which builds clean water infrastructure in the world's poorest communities. He is also currently enrolled in the Master of Supply Chain, Transportation and Logistics program at the University of Washington.