Brand Properties (Brand), a full-service commercial real estate firm, announces the promotion of Brian Smith to President of Management, Leasing and Advisory. Smith’s advancement immediately infuses the firm’s executive team with the expertise and leadership skills needed to support its continued growth throughout the Southeast. Smith joined Brand in 2022 as Executive Vice President of Leasing and Development and continued in this role until now.

“Since joining Brand Properties four years ago, Brian has shown exemplary leadership skills,” explains R. Brand Morgan, chief executive officer, Brand Properties. “His ability to instill in our leadership team a holistic view of the business, making decisions that benefit the entire platform rather than just one segment, has served our clients and partners well. His talents have reinforced our reputation for being a relationship-driven firm that puts both our clients and our employees at the forefront of everything we do.”

As President, Smith oversees the company’s Duluth office where 65 professionals provide management, leasing and advisory services for private and institutional owners of retail, office and mixed-use assets. Currently, the company’s portfolio includes nearly five million square feet of commercial assets under management.

“My top priority as President is to ensure that our organization functions with clarity of purpose and excellence in execution,” says Smith. “With a goal of achieving greatness in what we do, I am focused on our people and our clients while ensuring we operate with discipline and consistency.”

In this commercial real estate market where expectations, tenant concepts, operating costs and capital markets are constantly evolving, Smith believes Brand will successfully navigate these challenges by staying close to the market, understanding emerging trends and ensuring that relevancy guides asset positioning. “Brand will succeed due to our strengths – trust in client relationships and operational excellence,” continues Smith. In addition to his responsibilities at Brand, Smith also serves as Chairman of the Board of DeKalb PCID (Perimeter Community Improvement District), is an officer of the Board of Sugarloaf CID and is on the board of the Gwinnett County Chamber of Commerce.

Smith’s commercial real estate career spans decades across various assets classes owned by both boutique developers and global investment firms. Prior to joining Brand in 2022, he served as Chief Strategy Officer and Executive Vice President at Poag Shopping Centers, where he was instrumental in building a $1.5 billion lifestyle center portfolio. Smith also held positions at Chattanooga, Tenn.-based CBL Properties and Kansas City, Mo.-based Copaken Brooks, formerly Copaken, White & Blitt.