JERDE hires Peter Priebe as Chief Executive Officer and elevates Phil Kim to Board Chair

SINGAPORE, Jan. 21, 2022 /PRNewswire/ — JERDE (The Jerde Partnership), an iconic and internationally renowned architecture and urban planning firm, announced that Peter Priebe has replaced Paul Martinkovic as Chief Executive Officer, who has retired after 32 years at the firm. The news came after the announcement of Phil Kim, Managing Director, Asia Pacific who was elevated to Chair of the company’s Board of Directors, as well as Mark Liu, Managing Director, China to Board Secretary.

Peter Priebe named JERDE’s new CEO

Priebe comes to JERDE from WATG, a large global architecture firm with projects in 160 countries, where he was Chief Operating Officer. He has also served as WATG’s Chief Financial Officer and Interim Chief Executive Officer. Prior to joining WATG, Priebe worked at Stantec, a publicly traded planning, engineering and architecture firm where he was corporate controller.

“We are incredibly fortunate Peter accepted our offer to become JERDE’s Chief Executive Officer. It was important for us to find an internationally respected business executive with the global experience needed to lead our firm,” said Phil Kim, Chairman of JERDE. “In addition to his vast experience, Peter’s inclusive approach brings renewed energy to our company at a time when we are looking to grow, in a time of great change.”

“In our industry JERDE has a stellar reputation for innovative design, creating some of the world’s most memorable places,” said Priebe. “We have an incredible pool of talent, and I am looking forward to leveraging that expertise to help developers not only create great places, but unlock value in every square foot of design. I am beyond excited to take the baton from Paul. We are definitely, over the next two to three years, looking at diversification and growth to keep up with our clients’ demands. We see an opportunity to double down in Singapore to anchor our presence in Hong Kong, Seoul and Ho Chi Minh city, and grow our business and client based across Asia.”

Phil Kim and Mark Liu continue to drive the firm’s presence in Asia and beyond

A Shareholder and Managing Director of Asia Pacific, Kim leads JERDE’s operations in Japan, Korea, Hong Kong, Australia and S.E. Asia, while Liu serves as the General Manager of JERDE’s Shanghai office, growing the firm’s presence to brand success in the mainland China market.

“Phil and Mark both bring a deep knowledge and history of success guiding projects in North America, Asia, and around the world,” said Eduardo Lopez, Design Principal and Shareholder of JERDE. “Their global experience will help navigate the firm and our expanding workload as businesses continue to re-emerge from the pandemic.”

As an industry leader with the Urban Land Institute, Kim is a Global Governing Trustee, Co-Chair of the education initiative UrbanPlan, and Chairman of the Hong Kong Council. He expands the firm’s vision of experiential placemaking around the world, and is a favored speaker at conferences all over the world on topics of urban mixed-use environments, retail, urban revitalization, precinct strategy, vertical cities, and the sustainable value of place.

“Phil’s institutional background, nuanced thinking, and stability contribute are ideal qualities for our Board Chair. Phil knows what works in North America may not work in Asia or Latin America and vice versa,” said Lopez.

JERDE has designed award-winning destinations throughout the world including such iconic places as Santa Monica Place, Bellagio in Las Vegas, the Mall of America in Minnesota, Universal CityWalk in Los Angeles, Pacific City in Huntington Beach as well as Langham Place in Hong Kong, Roppongi Hills in Tokyo, and Kanyon in Istanbul. The firm has also designed new innovative mixed-use and retail properties including Shanghai World Trade Center, Oxigeno in Costa Rica, and the Battery in Atlanta.

Background Information

About JERDE

JERDE is a visionary urban design studio creating signature places that deliver memorable experiences and attract more than a billion people each year. For 40 years, JERDE has pioneered the concept of “Placemaking” with more than 120 major projects on six continents. Headquartered in the heart of Downtown Los Angeles, each JERDE client works closely with an equity partner to take a boutique, collaborative approach to the creative process of design and architecture. JERDE places attract people providing lasting social, cultural and economic value, spurring further investment and revitalization. JERDE is one of only a few architectural firms awarded six ULI Global Awards for Excellence in addition to many of the industry’s other highest honors and recognitions.

JERDE has designed mixed-use, hospitality, and retail destinations throughout the world including Langham Place in Hong Kong, Roppongi Hills in Tokyo, D-Cube City in Seoul, and more recently the Grand Hyatt Sanya Haitang Bay in Hainan, China, a MIPIM Asia Gold Award winner for Best Hotel & Tourism Development. In its home country of the United States, JERDE has designed well known sites such as Bellagio in Las Vegas, Pacific City in Huntington Beach, as well as the makeovers of the world famous Santa Monica Place and Fashion Island Malls.