JLL Acquires Advisory Firm

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JLL has acquired North Carolina-based Kensington Capital Advisors, an independent financial advisory firm specializing in the analysis, structuring and execution of derivative products and structured financing solutions. The purchase included technology platform Frame Financial Systems.

When JLL bought Dallas-based HFF in 2019, in a cash-and-stock $1.8 billion deal, the company also gained a 50 percent ownership of KCA. Due to the firm being independent, KCA is not associated with other companies that offer banking, legal, defeasance or derivative products.

As part of the deal, KCA and the 23 employees of Frame will join the JLL Capital Markets and JLL Technology teams. The Frame technology product will be offered as a “software with a service” solution to investors.

Major JLL deals of the past year

Over the past year, JLL closed on several acquisitions and expanded its services by launching platforms in niche real estate sectors. At the beginning of 2022, JLL Property Management launched a national service line for owners and investors in the life science market, led by Timothy Martin. Later in the year, the JLL valuation team created a data center practice.

JLL also expanded its Southwest Project and Development Services unit with the purchase of San Diego-based Gilliland Construction Management. Later in July 2022, the firm acquired Metropolitan Valuation Services, a New York City commercial property appraisal and real estate consulting firm.