Following the completion of his tenure as CEO of Centro Properties Group, Glenn Rufrano will join the commercial real estate services firm Cushman & Wakefield as president and CEO, according to an announcement Tuesday by the company.

“Cushman & Wakefield is one of the most recognized and respected commercial real estate services firms in the world, and I am looking forward to contributing to its growth,” Rufrano said.

As a highly accomplished global real estate executive, Rufrano has held leadership positions at public real estate

investment trusts (REITs) and in the private real estate investment arena. Previously, he held director positions at both the public REIT Trizec Properties Inc. and the mortgage REIT Criimi Mae Inc.

He has been CEO of Australian-based Centro Properties Group since 2008, and from 2000 to 2007 Rufrano served as CEO of New Plan Excel Realty Trust Inc. Prior to his time at New Plan, Rufrano was co-founder of The O’Connor Group, and he also spent more than five years at Landauer Associates Inc.

“We are delighted that Glenn will join Cushman & Wakefield as President and CEO. His extensive real estate experience and management background make him the ideal leader to grow the company and further expand the brand worldwide,” said Carlo Barel di Sant’Albano, a Cushman & Wakefield board member and CEO of EXOR S.p.A., the majority shareholder of Cushman & Wakefield. “We are confident that Glenn has the vision to lead Cushman & Wakefield, creating meaningful value for our clients, employees, and other stakeholders.”

As Cushman & Wakefield President and CEO, Rufrano replaces Bruce Mosler, who became co-chairman of the board on January 1, 2010. He will be based in New York and will also be appointed to the company’s board of directors on his March 22, 2010 start date.