The co-developer of D.C. megaproject The Wharf has hired a new CEO from a top brokerage firm as it expands through the Southeast region.

Brian Dawson is taking the helm at Hoffman & Associates, a D.C.-based development company with a $6B portfolio, the company announced Wednesday.

He replaces Mark Dorigan, who took over for founder and chairman Monty Hoffman at the end of 2019. Dorigan will stay on as a member of the firm's investment committee board.

Dawson comes from JLL, where he served as senior managing director for the brokerage’s capital markets operation, focusing on the Southeast and mid-Atlantic regions. In that role, he worked with Hoffman’s team on The Wharf and at Seaboard Station in Raleigh, North Carolina.

"Brian Dawson’s extensive capital markets experience makes him exceptionally positioned to lead Hoffman & Associates' next phase of growth," Hoffman said in the release. "Our team has been searching for a candidate with extensive experience, a track record of success, and visionary leadership. Brian exemplifies all of these qualities and will be instrumental in leading the company’s next phase of growth."

His track record of over 30 years includes over $30B in capital transactions, according to the release. Before joining JLL in 2016, Dawson was a senior managing director at Cushman & Wakefield.

"I am thrilled to join Hoffman & Associates. This company is truly unique, from the exceptional talent to the unparalleled ability to deliver world-class developments, such as The Wharf, that consistently deliver value and raise the bar for our industry," Dawson said.

Hoffman & Associates' projects under development include a 1.2M SF mixed-use development in Falls Church, called West Falls, and Seaboard Station, a 1M SF mixed-use development in Raleigh. The developer is on the precipice of opening The Westerly, a 30% affordable, 449-unit multifamily development near the Waterfront Metro Station in D.C., with a ribbon cutting set for later this month.