Life Sciences veteran brings more than 25 years of experience to PDS

CHICAGO, Jan. 27, 2026 – JLL announced today the appointment of David Kristjanson as Global Life Sciences Industry Lead for Project and Development Services (PDS). In this role, he will shape JLL’s global Life Sciences strategy, guiding how the firm partners with clients to locate, design, build and scale spaces that accelerate discovery, ensure resilience and deliver lasting impact.

Kristjanson will lead integrated growth and innovation across JLL. He will bring together global delivery, advanced analytics and sector-specific expertise to support Life Sciences organizations navigating increasingly complex regulatory, operational and market demands.

“The life sciences sector sits at the intersection of scientific advancement, regulatory rigor and global scale,” said Kristjanson. “Our responsibility is to create environments that enable innovation without friction – spaces that support operational efficiency, ensure regulatory compliance and provide the flexibility to quickly adapt as research needs evolve. By combining deep industry insight with data, AI tools and smart delivery models, JLL is uniquely positioned to help clients make confident decisions in a rapidly changing world, ultimately supporting the mission of improving and saving lives.”

Kristjanson brings over 25 years of leadership experience across the Life Sciences value chain. Most recently, he served as Managing Director and Global Sector Lead for Life Sciences at Turner & Townsend/CBRE, where he built and led a global enterprise business. His project portfolio included some of the world’s largest manufacturing and prominent R&D facilities. His operational experience includes serving as plant manager for a specialty pharmaceutical company where he directed engineering departments supporting R&D and manufacturing operations while overseeing Current Good Manufacturing Practice (cGMP) approval of a large-scale pharmaceutical facility.

The appointment comes at a pivotal moment for the global Life Sciences industry. According to JLL’s 2026 Life Sciences Real Estate Trends to Watch, the sector is undergoing its most significant realignment since the original biotech boom. Tariffs, challenging funding environments and intensified cost pressures are all driving Life Sciences organizations to be more efficient – and this push for efficiency means more organizations are looking to outsourcing. Market research indicates that organizations pursuing FM outsourcing report cost reductions of 15-30% in first-generation implementations, alongside access to specialized capabilities and service standardization.

“David’s appointment reflects our commitment to building leadership with transformational industry expertise,” said Adam Lutz, National Industries Lead, Project and Development Services, JLL. “His proven track record of cultivating enterprise relationships with global Life Sciences companies and deep understanding of how physical environments impact operational performance and regulatory compliance positions us to accelerate growth in this critical sector.”

The industry is also experiencing significant supply chain pressures and evolving trade dynamics are reshaping facility strategies in the Life Sciences industry. These challenges are driving organizations to reconsider manufacturing footprints, pursue nearshoring initiatives and accelerate new construction projects to ensure operational continuity and reduce dependencies on volatile international supply chains.

“This is an exciting time in the Life Sciences industry as we see tremendous growth opportunities,” said Kevin Wayer, Division President, Global – Life Sciences at JLL. “His deep industry expertise will be instrumental as we expand our capabilities to serve clients navigating complex facility decisions. We’re enthusiastic about the opportunity to grow alongside our Life Sciences clients and support their critical missions through every phase of their real estate journey.”

JLL Project and Development Services is a leader in the advisory, design, management and delivery of commercial real estate projects for the world’s most prominent corporations, educational institutions, public jurisdictions, healthcare organizations, industrial facilities, retailers, hotels, sports facilities and real estate owners. JLL’s project management team comprises 9,300 project managers across 80 countries with $87.4 billion in projects managed annually. JLL’s design teams consist of 600+ designers across 65 studios in over 30 countries, to service clients with end-to-end design solutions. Visit jll.com/en-us/services/strategy-design to learn more.

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For over 200 years, JLL (NYSE: JLL), a leading global commercial real estate and investment management company, has helped clients buy, build, occupy, manage and invest in a variety of commercial, industrial, hotel, residential and retail properties. A Fortune 500^® company with annual revenue of $23.4 billion and operations in over 80 countries around the world, our more than 113,000 employees bring the power of a global platform combined with local expertise. Driven by our purpose to shape the future of real estate for a better world, we help our clients, people and communities SEE A BRIGHTER WAY^SM. JLL is the brand name, and a registered trademark, of Jones Lang LaSalle Incorporated. For further information, visit jll.com.