James G. Hanley, MBA, PE
MBA · PE · CRL · New York

James G.
Hanley,
MBA, PE.

James G. Hanley, MBA, PE, CRL
Technical Leadership · Real Estate Strategy · Growth & Transformation

I turn complex real estate and engineering portfolios into competitive advantages.

Twenty years of operating at the intersection of corporate real estate strategy, engineering program leadership, and digital transformation. I sit between enterprise clients, technology vendors, and service providers — helping organizations make decisions they're confident in, not just sold on.

Work With Me → About James →
Based in New York Senior Director, CBRE PE · NY · 2014
§ 02 — About

A short note from me.

Background · Credentials

I've spent my career building things
that didn't exist yet.

Some of that was literal — engineering programs for portfolios that had no infrastructure, teams that had no leader, deals that had no precedent. Twenty years in, the through-line is the same: I show up when the problem is real, the stakes are high, and the path forward isn't obvious.

Today I serve as Senior Director at CBRE, where I carry global responsibility for engineering, capital planning, sustainability, health & safety, and data center operations across 60+ sites and roughly 6 million square feet. It's a big seat, and I take it seriously.

Outside of CBRE, I run a small advisory practice — The Office of James Hanley — for founders and operators in the AEC and PropTech space who need a thinking partner with real operating experience. I'm not a technologist who learned real estate; I'm an experienced executive who understands technology deeply. That distinction matters to the people I work with.

$10B+
Global construction programs directed
6M SF
Active portfolio · 60+ sites · Americas & EMEA
$10M
New revenue generated through proposal strategy
20+
Years of progressive engineering and leadership
MBA
Baylor University
Hankamer School of Business · Executive Communication
PE · License
Professional Engineer
State of New York · 2014
CRL · Cert
Certified Reliability Leader
2025
BSME
Loyola University Maryland
Mechanical Engineering
§ 03 — Practice

The Office of James Hanley.

Consulting · Advisory
Who I work with
Founders, operators, and growing AEC & PropTech firms — at the point where they need a thinking partner with real operating experience, not just a framework.
01 / Strategy

Strategic Consulting

Working alongside founders and senior leaders on the problems that don't fit neatly in a deck — portfolio decisions, organizational direction, market entry.

02 / Growth

Business Development

Building repeatable pipelines for firms whose revenue has been mostly referral-driven and whose next stage requires something more deliberate.

03 / Positioning

Market Positioning

Clarifying what you actually sell, to whom, and why they should believe you — in a market where most firms sound identical.

04 / Ops

Operational Growth

The systems, rhythms, and role clarity that let a leadership team scale without everything running through the same two people.

05 / People

Leadership Coaching

1:1 work with engineers and operators stepping into senior seats — building the judgment and presence the role demands.

06 / Advisory

Startup Advisory

Fractional advisory for early-stage companies — product roadmap, go-to-market, pricing, partnerships, and investor preparation.

Current engagement
Strategic Advisor to an early-stage AI startup developing MEP engineering design automation — contributing across product roadmap, go-to-market strategy, pricing, partnership sourcing, and investor pitch preparation.
2025 – present
Work With Me →
§ 04 — Writing
On hiatus · returning soon
The Ambitious Engineer

The Ambitious Engineer.

A newsletter for technical professionals navigating the gap between great work and real career growth. Currently on a writing break — back soon.

Read the archive on Substack →
Follow on Substack ↗
§ 05 — Contact
Inquiries · Consulting · Speaking

Get in touch.

Best for consulting, advisory, speaking, or executive inquiries. I read every message personally and typically reply within two business days.