(US and Canada) Cushman & Wakefield, a leading global real estate services firm, recently announced Payman Sadegh has joined the firm as its inaugural Chief Data Officer.

In this newly created role, Sadegh will advance enterprise data management capabilities worldwide while optimizing the use of technology to further deliver digitally- enabled experiences and insights for the firm and its clients.

“I’m delighted Payman has joined Cushman & Wakefield,” said Sal Companieh, Chief Digital and Information Officer. “From workspace management to service delivery and cost control, technology and data are integral to real estate performance and value. Payman’s expertise in evolving data programs with enterprise scale and secure architecture will enhance our firm’s ability to digitally enable services across all sectors and geographies, furthering the efficiency and measurable return we deliver for our clients.”

A proven leader and data science expert, Sadegh brings more than 20 years of experience leading data analytics applications across multiple industries. Before joining Cushman & Wakefield, he served as the United States General Services Administration’s Chief Data Officer (GSA), leading the agency’s data organization as a White House Presidential Innovation Fellow.

Previously, Sadegh served as Chief Data Science Officer at Visual IQ (now part of Nielsen). He built the company’s data science function, architected one of the first marketing attribution platforms in the advertising industry, and oversaw development of innovative media optimization data products. He also led as a data mining program manager at Sikorsky Aircraft (now part of Lockheed Martin) and Director of Computational and Statistical Sciences Center at the American Institutes for Research, a top provider of education assessment solutions.

“I am proud to have joined Cushman & Wakefield, a firm advancing its world-class talent platform through investing in data,” said Sadegh. “Driving market differentiating outcomes in today’s complex world requires access to reliable and up-to-date data and the ability to turn data into useful information, insights, and, ultimately, action. This focus will enable us to further meet market demand with the right solutions at the right time and to adapt quickly as market conditions change.”

Sadegh, based in Atlanta, holds a Ph.D. in mathematical statistics from the Technical University of Denmark and an MBA from Indiana University’s Kelley School of Business.