Hines has a new leader of its East Region in the U.S., with Sarah Hawkins moving from chief operating officer into the top job.

Hawkins is taking over the CEO role for Hines East Region from Chris Hughes, effective immediately. She will oversee development, acquisition, asset management and operations in the region, according to a release announcing her appointment.

“Sarah has demonstrated incredible leadership skills and created significant value for the firm and our investors in her 10-year career with the firm,” Hines Chairman and CEO Jeffrey Hines said in a prepared statement. “I am confident she will continue to be a steadfast leader for our East Region as it grows during her tenure.”

Hawkins joined the company in 2011, and as COO she established the company’s regional industrial platform and expanded the firm’s residential arm. She led development of Hines' senior housing projects and was also instrumental in Hines’ role in the Hudson Square Properties portfolio. Since 2016, Hines has acted as the operating partner for Trinity Church Wall Street and Norges Bank Real Estate Management's 12-building portfolio in Hudson Square, which features nearly 6M SF of commercial space.

Disney and Google are both set to open campuses in that area, and are expected to usher in a new era for the neighborhood; the daytime population is expected to rise to more than 85,000 from its 60,000 in 2019 when the two giant California-based companies' campuses are fully operational, according to the Hudson Square Business Improvement District.

Hawkins also played a major role in establishing Hines’ paid parental leave policy and set up the firm's women’s network. Before joining Hines, she worked at Fortress Investment and Blackstone, according to her LinkedIn profile. Hawkins is now overseeing $19.8B in assets under management and 33M SF under management, per Commercial Observer.