CBRE's Ben Duncan will assume an expanded leadership role as president, North Asia, effective from January 1 2015, taking on responsibility for CBRE's Japan, China, Korea, Hong Kong, Taiwan and Macau businesses. He will also retain his current position as president and CEO of CBRE Japan, and will continue to play a significant role in leading CBRE's Japan business, working closely with Yoshihiro Watanabe. Watanabe was named chief operating officer for CBRE Japan in October.

Duncan will be based in Hong Kong from early 2015 and will be travelling between Hong Kong and Tokyo, as well as the other markets within his new remit.

Watanabe; Ivan Poon, president of CBRE China; Craig Shute, senior managing director for CBRE Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan; and Steve Kim, managing director for CBRE South Korea, will all report into Duncan from January 1 2015. Duncan continues to report into Danny Queenan, CEO for CBRE Asia- Pacific.

Duncan has 21 years of real estate experience, 18 in Asia-Pacific. He began his career in London with DTZ, before relocating to Hong Kong in 1996 to lead the company's corporate real estate services platform there and across China.

During his career in Hong Kong, he was responsible for marketing some of the territory's leading mixed use developments, including Chater House, IFC, Pacific Place and Taikoo Place. In 2004, he joined CBRE and relocated to Tokyo to build the company's occupier business, before leading the integration of a large Japanese real estate services firm after it was acquired by the company. He became president and CEO of CBRE's Japan business in 2012.