We're a team of over 23,000 people in 64 countries, each person bringing their own perspective, experience and expertise. Here's a chance to meet some of them.
John Robbins
Managing Director, Global Head of Enterprise Project Management
As Global Head of Enterprise Project Management at Turner & Townsend, I focus on driving strategy and improving performance across our client base – from emerging businesses to our largest accounts.
Our enterprise clients include major global and national organisations with significant, multi-asset real estate portfolios. These multibillion-dollar businesses rely on us for comprehensive services, including project management, cost and commercial management, facilities management, leasing and governance solutions.
My early career began at architectural and engineering firms, leading teams on real estate and infrastructure projects. This led to seven years heading up client facing global corporate real estate for Goldman Sachs, where I managed its rapid expansion across the US and international markets.
A pivotal moment in my career was co-founding and becoming a partner of Ferzan, Robbins & Associates, a New York City project management firm that operated for 19 years before merging with Turner & Townsend in 2011. For over a decade at Turner & Townsend, I have held several leadership positions, most recently as Managing Director for the US. During my time in that role, I’m proud to have led and worked alongside my colleagues to expand the US business tenfold.
“Through authentic leadership and bold ambition, we cultivate enduring client relationships by solving complex challenges and transforming the built environment.”
2025
Appointed Managing Director and Global Head of Enterprise Project Management
2024
Appointed Managing Director for Key Clients and Strategic Partnerships in North America
2014
Appointed Country Managing Director for the US and North America Head of Real Estate
2011
Joined Turner & Townsend as Co-Principal during Ferzan Robbins acquisition
1995
Founded Ferzan, Robbins & Associates LLC
1989
Appointed Vice President of Goldman Sachs
Q. How has your career at Turner & Townsend developed?
A. I joined Turner & Townsend in 2011 when my business, Ferzan, Robbins & Associates, merged with Turner & Townsend’s New York office. Since then, I’ve served in various leadership roles, helping expand our US operations across all segments, and our real estate business across North America. Today, I hold a role leading global enterprise accounts in the combined Turner & Townsend and CBRE project management business.
Q. Which project are you most proud of being involved in at Turner & Townsend?
A. There have been many highlights of my career, but one that stands out is our work on the Hudson Yards development in New York. At the time, this represented the largest private real estate investment in US history at US$25b.
Built atop active rail yards, the development created tens of millions of square feet of mixed-use space, including office, residential, retail, community parkland and a transportation hub with an extension of the MTA #7 subway line.
Our Turner & Townsend team played a leading role, delivering owner’s representation and managing projects for owners and their tenants throughout the decade-long development. This landmark project became a defining success for our US business, demonstrating our expertise in complex, large-scale urban developments.
Q. Detail any specialist skills or experience for which you are known
A. While I began my career in engineering, my strengths lie in building client relationships and leading teams. Having spent several years of my career in client-side roles, I gained valuable insights on what clients need and expect. This experience shaped my approach to leadership and helped me develop the skills, behaviours and empathy needed to be an effective and trustworthy advisor.
Q. What do you most enjoy most about working at Turner & Townsend?
A. Our people. I’ve had the privilege of working alongside some incredibly skilled and committed colleagues throughout my time here. What makes our work so rewarding is knowing when we take on our client’s challenges, our teams have both the collective expertise and dedication to excellence to deliver truly transformative solutions.
Q. What is the emerging trend in your industry specialism and how are you responding to this?
A. Technology is transforming the construction industry – from artificial intelligence and robotics to real-time visualisation. We’re at the forefront of this change, developing solutions like our internal technology platform the HIVE, which gives our clients real-time project progress analytics and tools to enhance reporting, site safety, cost effectiveness and time savings.
Beyond this, we’re focused on delivering carbon-zero projects across construction and operations, reflecting our commitment to sustainability and environmental responsibility.
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