Forcing The Conversation: Why This Expert Says CRE Needs To Keep A Sharper Eye On The Future

As the pace of transformation throughout the economy accelerates, real estate professionals can’t escape kaleidoscopic changes. Geoffrey Kasselman, the newly hired partner and senior vice president, workplace strategy, at CRG, the real estate development arm of Clayco, said it is time to prepare for the coming earthquakes, even if they are difficult to predict. “I'm not an alarmist, but everything is being remade on a global scale by a number of disruptive technologies that are robust and converging at the same time,” he said. “Everyone has a need right now to stop and really think about what the future will look like.” Newspapers are giving way to digital media, he pointed out, while once mainstay businesses like Sears, as well as other top retailers, have already collapsed in the face of challenges from Amazon and other online sellers. That in turn has fueled a massive expansion of the modern logistics sector.