The Board of Directors of Jones Lang LaSalle Incorporated has announced that it has elected Colin Dyer, 51, as President, Chief Executive Officer and a member of the Board of Directors, effective September 7. He will report to the Board, which is chaired by Stuart L. Scott.
Mr. Dyer is currently the Chief Executive Officer of WorldWide Retail Exchange, a premier international Internet-based exchange community owned by 40 of the world´s leading retailers and manufacturers. Before that, he was Chief Executive Officer of Courtaulds Textiles plc, an international clothing and textile company.
Mr. Dyer, a British citizen currently based in Washington, D.C., will be principally located in the firm´s Chicago office. He will have overall responsibility for guiding Jones Lang LaSalle´s strategic vision and future growth as well as for chairing the firm´s Global Executive Committee, its most senior internal management committee.
'Colin is a proven leader of global, high-performance companies and an outstanding strategist who has focused on international businesses throughout his career,' said Mr. Scott. 'He is an entrepreneurial and client-focused manager who is well equipped to direct our organization of exceptionally skilled people into Jones Lang LaSalle´s future. Moreover, he is a sophisticated executive with experience leading a public company, who understands how to create and deliver shareholder value.'
'Jones Lang LaSalle´s solid financial condition, wealth of talent and broad platform of services provide excellent potential for future growth,' said Mr. Dyer. 'The company is known worldwide for its values, integrity and honesty, all of which characterize my approach to business. Although it would be premature for me to detail a long-term vision for the firm, I am convinced that we should aspire to be world leaders in whatever businesses we undertake.'
In 2000, Mr. Dyer was named the founding CEO of the WorldWide Retail Exchange, an Internet-based business-to-business exchange that utilizes sophisticated technology to enable retailers and manufacturers to improve efficiency through e-procurement and supply chain processes. Mr. Dyer guided the strategic, operational and financial direction of the organization. During his tenure, the organization generated US$9 billion worth of activity and expanded to offices in Washington, D.C., Paris and Tokyo.
From 1996 until 2000, Mr. Dyer was CEO of Courtaulds Textiles plc, an international clothing and fabric company operating in 17 countries with 22,000 employees and sales of US$1.3 billion. He began his career with Courtaulds in 1982 as Managing Director of the Dutch retail chain, GDL, and held various positions with the company before being named Chief Executive. While CEO, he guided corporate strategy, developed a key set of operating principles and installed a new Operating Board. He also drew upon strong customer relationships and a deep understanding of client and consumer needs to oversee development of private-label clothing lines for retailers such as The Limited and Marks & Spencer. In 2000, when Sara Lee Corporation acquired Courtaulds, he was instrumental in increasing shareholder value in the negotiation of the acquisition price.
Previously, from 1978 to 1982, Mr. Dyer served with McKinsey & Company in Amsterdam as a client manager to firms in the banking, chemical, retail, petrochemical, medical equipment and aerospace industries.
'Following a rigorous six-month process of reviewing internal candidates and individuals from a range of companies and industries, we are confident that Colin is the right person to work with our senior leadership to guide Jones Lang LaSalle at this point in our history,' said Sheila Penrose, a member of the Board of Directors of Jones Lang LaSalle and the chair of the CEO search committee. 'Throughout his career, he has demonstrated a dedication to client service, beginning at McKinsey, which is known for its client-service ethic, and later at Courtaulds and the WorldWide Retail Exchange, two or
