Veteran broker Bryan Ley joins Northmarq to co-lead National Shopping Center Group

Ley is one of the top-performing retail brokers on the West Coast with $15B in transactions

Photo of Bryan Ley

MINNEAPOLIS (May 7, 2025) — Northmarq has announced the addition of Bryan Ley as managing director in the Commercial Investment Sales division in Los Angeles. One of the top-performing retail brokers in the western U.S., Ley has closed $14.7 billion in transactions over his 20+ year career. Based in Southern California, he will co-lead Northmarq’s newly formed National Shopping Center Group, bringing deep expertise in multi-tenant retail and mixed-use assets.

“Bryan’s track record and leadership in high-profile retail transactions are unrivaled,” said Jeff Cox, executive managing director of Commercial Investment Sales. “His drive, client focus, and entrepreneurial hustle are a perfect match for Northmarq’s culture. His addition underscores our commitment to our clients and to strategic retail growth nationwide.”

Career highlights
Ley spent the past 17 years at JLL and predecessor company HFF, where he co-led the West Coast Retail Team and completed some of the region’s most significant retail and mixed-use transactions. He specializes in the sale of shopping centers, community and lifestyle centers, urban and high-street assets, while representing a wide range of clients from institutional investors and REITs to private capital and family offices.

Prior to HFF and JLL, Ley was a leading broker at Sperry Van Ness as well. 

“Joining Northmarq at this pivotal time in retail real estate is an incredible opportunity,” said Ley. “The firm’s growth strategy, collaborative culture, and innovative mindset align perfectly with how I approach the business. I’m excited to help shape the future of the National Shopping Center Group and continue delivering exceptional outcomes for our retail clients.”

Professional & community involvement
Ley is a long-standing member of ICSC and has held numerous national and regional leadership roles, including serving on the ICSC Foundation Board of Directors and Leadership Team from 2018–25. In 2021, he and his wife launched an annual scholarship program through the ICSC Foundation, which sponsors four students each year to attend the ICSC RECon Conference in Las Vegas, offering mentorship and access to industry networking opportunities for those students looking to join the retail industry. 

Beyond real estate, Ley is deeply committed to philanthropy, serving on the Board of the Los Angeles Chapter of the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS) and recently co-chaired the Los Angeles Light the Night Walk, which raised over $1.4 million for Blood cancer research and supporting those families impacted. 

National Shopping Center Group
Ley will co-lead the National Shopping Center Group alongside:
•    Kevin Adatto (Portland).
•    Margaret Caldwell (Atlanta).
•    Greg Laughton (Charlotte).
•    Ryan Roedersheimer (Cincinnati).
•    Sean Tufts (Seattle).

About Northmarq 
Northmarq is one of the largest privately held commercial real estate firms in the United States, combining a nationwide presence with deep local expertise. With more than 50 offices across the country, we provide a full suite of debt, equity, investment sales, loan servicing and fund management solutions for a comprehensive range of property types. Our unique structure allows us to connect clients with the best opportunities, yet be nimble enough to ensure access to every expert across our company. The firm manages a loan servicing portfolio of over $78 billion and has completed $69.5 billion in transactions over the past three years. At Northmarq, collaboration fuels results, helping clients achieve success in every market, nationwide. For more information, visit www.northmarq.com.

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