Staff Reports | Business & Commerce
JDM Partners has appointed banking industry veteran Torry Berntsen as co-chief executive officer, effective immediately.
He will serve alongside current chairman and founding partner Jerry Colangelo, current CEO and founding partner Mel Shultz, and founding partner and chairman emeritus David Eaton, according to a press release.
Mr. Berntsen brings more than 40 years of financial and leadership experience to JDM Partners. He most recently served as executive vice chairman at Standard Chartered Bank and previously held the position of CEO of Europe and the Americas for the global institution. His career also includes senior leadership roles at BNY and Independent Financial.
In 2023, he was named “Europe & Americas Banking CEO of the Year” by The European magazine.
“Torry brings world-class financial expertise that complements JDM’s investment and development capabilities,” said Mr. Colangelo. “His understanding of complex markets, deal structuring and global capital flows will be invaluable as we continue to pursue large-scale real estate opportunities.”
JDM Partners has been involved in two of the largest real estate transactions in Arizona’s history, including the sale of the Marina Heights office complex and the sale of 37,000 acres in the Phoenix West Valley to the Howard Hughes Corporation for development of Teravalis.
“Torry’s appointment represents a natural evolution for JDM Partners as we continue on our trajectory of transformative projects,” said Mr. Shultz. “His ability to build high-performance teams and drive results in sophisticated financial environments positions us for our next phase of growth.”
As co-CEO, Mr. Berntsen will focus on expanding JDM’s investment platform, developing strategic partnerships with institutional capital sources and leveraging his network to identify new market opportunities.
“I am honored to join JDM Partners and work alongside Jerry, Mel and their team,” Mr. Berntsen said. “JDM has built a distinguished legacy and proven its ability to execute complex real estate transactions. I look forward to applying my financial expertise and global perspective to help drive JDM’s continued success.”
