In this Q&A, Colliers’ Anjee Solanki, National Director of Retail and Practice Groups | U.S., sits down with Sheena Gohil, Vice Chair and Practice Group Leader of Colliers’ Tenant Advisory Council (TAC), to explore how tenant advisory has evolved and how Colliers helps occupiers navigate increasingly complex real estate decisions through collaboration and specialization.

Anjee Solanki (AS): When people hear tenant advisory, they may picture a broad category. How do you define it within the context of Colliers Practice Groups?

Sheena Gohil (SG): Tenant advisory covers a wide range of occupier needs. Unlike a landlord who markets a single asset, an occupier has a business to run and every company has different priorities depending on its sector. Our advisors understand those nuances. Real estate strategy is only one piece. We also get questions that tie into broader business challenges. To guide clients effectively, we need to understand their operations, their talent strategy, their growth plans, and how real estate supports all of that.

AS: What kinds of questions or factors are you seeing most often from occupiers today?

SG: Labor was a major focus before the pandemic because of the competitive hiring market, but new themes have emerged. Companies want to understand how to create the best in-office experience to attract and retain talent. They want to know what peers in their sector are doing. We are also advising on economic incentives for headquarters relocations, portfolio strategy for companies acquiring new businesses, and how to integrate real estate after a merger. There are many layers to supporting occupiers because their needs evolve with the market.

AS: Why is the Tenant Advisory Council especially valuable to clients?

SG: I have been at Colliers for more than 18 years, and one of our strengths is an entrepreneurial culture that makes it easy to build real relationships across markets. The Tenant Advisory Council is where that comes together. Members share real-time insights, compare micro trends from their local markets, and collaborate on challenges that clients face every day. Many competitors are larger and more structured, but our model gives clients nimble access to information and expertise that is current, shareable, and deeply connected.

AS: You mentioned earlier that companies are much more diversified today. How does that change the way your group collaborates across practice areas?

SG: Most companies do not have only office space. They may have data centers, distribution facilities, retail locations, cold storage, or investment assets. When you represent an occupier, you have to support the full portfolio. That is why collaboration with other practice groups is constant. Tenant advisory members regularly reach out to groups like Life Sciences, Economic Incentives, Industrial, and Retail to pull in specific market or sector knowledge. It creates a holistic and comprehensive advisory model for clients.

AS: You have also launched the TAC Elevating Leaders program. Can you share what it is and why it matters?

SG: It is a group of mid-career professionals who lead relationships with multi-market occupiers but may not yet be at the production level of senior TAC members. Brokerage is an apprentice-style business, and this program is designed to build connections between experienced advisors and the next generation. It gives them access to resources, best practices, and real opportunities to collaborate across borders. The group has already begun referring business and learning from one another, which is exactly what we hoped to create.

AS: Final question. What drives your leadership in this space?

SG: Aside from a lot of coffee, it is the people. I have grown up at Colliers and built relationships over many years. Being able to bring people together, share knowledge, and elevate one another is very meaningful. The bar in this group is high and that motivates me to show up every day and contribute to something bigger.

Learn more about our Tenant Advisory Council here.