C-III Capital Partners LLC (C-III) announced today that it has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire NAI Global, the largest premier network of independent commercial real estate firms worldwide.

NAI Global will continue to operate as a separate company under its current management following the acquisition.

NAI Harcourts will also continue to operate as normal following the acquisition.

NAI Harcourts was launched in mid-2010 and is the exclusive Australia/New Zealand member of the NAI Global network, which comprises more than 5,000 professionals in 325 offices in 57 countries and is responsible for more than $45 billion in property transactions annually.

C-III commenced operations in March 2010 and since then has successfully launched mortgage origination, investment sales and title insurance businesses from scratch, and expanded its principal investment, loan origination fund management and primary and special loan servicing businesses.

“Today’s agreement represents a tremendous opportunity for NAI Harcourts and NAI Global’s entire network,” said Chris Nicholl, CEO of NAI Harcourts.

“By teaming up with C-III, NAI will be able to significantly grow its service offerings and present new opportunities to its members.”

“We have built the world's leading commercial real estate network, but we now believe it is time to take the enterprise to a new level and add even greater value to our members and our collective corporate and investment clients. The combination with C-III will provide a depth of resources, talent and tools from which we can draw upon to accelerate our growth,” noted Jeffrey M. Finn, President and CEO of NAI Global.

“Rarely do you find partners so perfectly strategically aligned as NAI Global and C-III. This is a natural fit and extremely exciting news for the industry.”

The transaction is expected to close in the third quarter of 2011.