Dave Sawdey named Vice President of Strategy & Analytics
CHICAGO (November 18, 2025) – Cresa, the world’s leading occupier-centric commercial real estate firm, continues to invest in and grow its Strategy & Analytics Group, today announcing two significant moves that bolster its mission. The firm acquired Bluechip Insights (Bluechip), North America’s premier data analytics firm, and hired Dave Sawdey as Vice President to lead the expanding team.
Cresa has leveraged Bluechip’s data for years, relying on its analytics to deliver instant demographic insights, incentive opportunities, real-time labor intelligence, and AI-powered location analysis, to provide actionable insights around strategy, growth, cost savings, and optimization to its portfolio clients.
“We are excited to bring Bluechip in-house. With this acquisition we have equipped our advisors with industry-leading market data intelligence and technology, empowering them to deliver precise guidance to corporate clients to make confident, well-informed decisions,” said Tricia Trester, Head of Client Solutions. “It’s the key to our firm’s growth strategy and a real game changer for us.”
Cresa’s Strategy & Analytics Group utilizes data, analytics, and technology to craft strategic real estate solutions for its clients. This data-driven approach to portfolio planning allows advisors to develop short- and long-term action plans that identify opportunities, mitigate risks, align supply with demand—and ultimately uncover—cost savings. Clients trust their portfolio data and uncover opportunities for improved performance and value creation.
Stepping in to lead the supercharged group is real estate veteran and pioneer in the space, Dave Sawdey, who joins Cresa from Avison Young, and before that JLL where he was the Director of Business Intelligence, the first professional at the company to ever hold the position. His proven track record of leveraging data to understand and solve client challenges is known throughout the industry, and his work continues to set the standard for innovation in data-driven real estate strategy.
“Dave was ahead of his time and remains the foremost expert in the data strategy arena. He has the vision and experience to make this group an invaluable partner to our clients,” added Trester. “We are thrilled he has joined Cresa.”
Said Sawdey, “Cresa is committed to technology and is putting a tremendous amount of resources and tools in the hands of its advisors that allow them to best service their clients. I am looking forward to working with the team here to build the most comprehensive platform in the business.”
Sawdey is a governing body member of the Chicago Chief Data Analytics Officer Community and active in CoreNet Global. He is a graduate of Michigan State University.
This is just the latest in a series of acquisitions Cresa has made in the last 18 months to bolster its service delivery across the U.S., including Fischer, a leading occupier advisory firm focused on corporate accounts; PPM, a premier North American project management firm; Vogel Advisors, a tenant-focused advisory firm in Detroit; NorthStar, a Philadelphia-based project management company; Fritsche Anderson Realty Partners, Houston’s leading real estate services firm; and Axis Tenant Advisors, a boutique commercial real estate services firm also based in Houston.