JLL announced Jay Johnson has joined the firm as Managing Director, JLL Healthcare. Johnson will focus on partnering with local teams to deliver the full depth and breadth of JLL’s global healthcare real estate business across more than 50 U.S. markets. In his new role, Johnson will work to grow the healthcare business across markets, and in collaboration with JLL Healthcare Solutions, provide healthcare organizations with the full spectrum of JLL’s healthcare real estate services.

“We’re thrilled to have Jay join the team,” said Richard Taylor, Executive Managing Director, Healthcare Solutions. “Working together, we will further enhance our ability to deliver the innovative solutions and services our clients need in this era of constant disruption.”

“Jay has a proven track record of executing strategies that enhance real estate performance for hospitals, physicians and other care providers as well as investors in medical property,” said Dave Houck, Executive Managing Director, Industries, JLL. “Jay’s leadership will provide additional continuity to our healthcare teams in markets across the country.”

With more than 20 years of healthcare real estate experience, Johnson joins JLL from Transwestern where he was chief operating officer for the company’s healthcare group. Prior to that, Johnson was senior director and founding member of the healthcare services group at CBRE and a senior manager in the real estate advisory services practice at Ernst & Young. He holds a bachelor’s in architecture and a master’s in city planning from Georgia Institute of Technology and is a Certified Commercial Investment Member (CCIM).

“As health systems simultaneously grow larger and zero in on more convenient healthcare delivery, they’re faced with more complicated real estate needs than ever,” said Johnson. “Given JLL’s local market insight, global healthcare platform and industry-leading technology, we are well positioned to help our clients enhance the patient and family experience while strengthening their financial wellbeing.”

The U.S. healthcare sector, which accounts for approximately 18 percent of gross domestic product, is expected to grow about 5 percent annually through 2025. According to JLL’s latest Construction Outlook, the sector recorded 26 million square feet of hospital construction completions and 12 million square feet of medical office building construction completions in 2018.

With healthcare in a state of unprecedented growth, JLL continues to bolster its industry-dedicated platform. Since the beginning of the year, JLL has added 30-year healthcare veteran David Dierking and healthcare construction and design expert Michael Passaro as regional healthcare leads for the firm’s Project and Development Services business, and experienced healthcare strategist Bruce Cattieas managing director for solutions development.