JLL names new CEO following turbulence

Global real estate firm JLL has announced the appointment of a new chief executive for Australia and New Zealand (ANZ), following a period of turmoil during which four former employees filed legal action.

Editor’s note: This story first appeared on HR Leader’s sister brand, REB.

From 11 May 2026, JLL announced that Selina Short would take over as CEO, succeeding interim CEO Luke Billiau, who had taken the reins since 1 October.

Short moves to JLL after 17 years at professional services firm EY, where she served on the firm’s executive leadership team, and she said she would be taking over at a pivotal time for the ANZ markets.

“JLL has outstanding talent, and I am looking forward to working alongside teams across the business as they continue to deliver innovative solutions,” Short said.

JLL global executive board member Richard Bloxam said the appointment of Short would allow her to leverage her prior experience and knowledge to provide value for clients.

“This is an important step in strengthening the operations of our ANZ business and bringing global and domestic insights to our clients,” Bloxam said.

The appointment of Short would allow the network to move on from a turbulent period during which several former staff members brought legal action against the firm, including former CEO Dan Kernaghan.

Kernaghan was ousted following the alleged mismanagement of sexual misconduct in the firm’s Victorian branch.

Despite reaching an internal resolution to the claims against another senior staff member, Kernaghan was called by the JLL global CEO to terminate his employment with the network.

The firm also commissioned an internal review by law firm Clyde & Co, which led to more employees being let go due to a “wider cultural problem”.

Former agents Peter Blade and Greg Pike were terminated and later claimed they suffered significant reputational damage in their legal proceedings against the firm.

Additionally, former head of HR Julie Skinner engaged in legal action against the firm, claiming that she was let go despite having given “appropriate advice on the handling” of a sexual harassment investigation.

Following Kernaghan’s termination, Billiau was appointed interim CEO and will return to his position as head of capital markets for ANZ when Short begins in May.

Bloxam said Billiau provided the network with much-needed stability while driving its values of teamwork, ethics and excellence during his tenure.