Damla Gerhart serves as Principal and Regional Managing Director for Avison Young’s Central Region, overseeing key markets including Austin, Chicago, Cincinnati, Cleveland, Columbus, Dallas, Detroit, Houston, Indianapolis, Minneapolis, and Pittsburgh. Additionally, as the Managing Principal/Market Leader for the Chicago office, she leads strategic initiatives and drives growth through talent development, recruitment, and strategic acquisitions. Damla’s leadership spans multiple sectors —Retail, Office, Industrial, and Hospitality—and encompasses Capital Markets, Investment Sales, Real Estate Development, Construction, Project Management, and Commercial Property Management.

With nearly 20 years of experience in commercial real estate, Damla joined Avison Young after her role as Senior Managing Director at CBRE, where she led brokerage advisory teams in downtown and suburban Chicago. She previously served as the Americas Lead for CBRE’s Workplace Strategy & Design advisory business, spearheading business development, revenue growth, and thought leadership. Earlier in her career, she was Vice President in JLL’s Strategic Consulting group, collaborating with global clients on workplace innovation and change management. Damla’s foundational experience includes roles as a financial auditor at Ernst & Young and an HR generalist at Kimberly-Clark Corp., contributing a broad skillset in accounting, human capital, client service, and consulting to her leadership roles.

Damla is actively involved in civic and industry organizations. She is a fellow of Leadership Greater Chicago and a member of the International Women’s Forum. She actively engages in commercial real estate industry groups including: CoreNet Global, NAIOP, REFF, and CREW and holds board positions with the Chicagoland Chamber of Commerce and The Civic Federation. She is an Advisory Board Member for Roosevelt University’s Marshall Bennett Institute of Real Estate and on the Chicago District Council of the Urban Land Institute. Additionally, she is a member of The Economic Club of Chicago and The Executives’ Club of Chicago. Recognized as a leader in her field, she was named one of GlobeSt Real Estate Forum’s Women of Influence in 2020 and honored by ConnectCRE in 2024 for Women in Real Estate.

Damla also serves on Avison Young’s U.S. Executive Committee and is the Executive Sponsor of the firm’s Private Equity practice.

Credentials

Purdue University, Bachelor of Science in Accounting
Purdue University, Masters of Business Administration (MBA)
Purdue University, Masters of Science in Human Resources Management
Illinois Real Estate Brokers License 
CoreNet Global – Masters of Corporate Real Estate Certification
LEED Green Associate
Six Sigma Green Belt