Christie’s International Real Estate, the world’s premier luxury real estate brand, announced that several company executives and network affiliates were honored on the 2023 Swanepoel Power 200 list (SP 200), the annual ranking of the residential brokerage industry’s most influential leaders. 

CHICAGO (Jan. 10, 2023) Christie’s International Real Estate, the world’s premier luxury real estate brand, announced that several company executives and network affiliates were honored on the 2023 Swanepoel Power 200 list (SP 200), the annual ranking of the residential brokerage industry’s most influential leaders.

Thad Wong and Mike Golden, co-CEOs of Christie’s International Real Estate, broke into the top 20 for the first time, coming in at No. 17. The honor follows a pivotal year for the longtime partners whose Chicago-based real estate brokerage and technology firm, @properties, acquired Christie’s International Real Estate at the end of 2021. Wong and Golden quickly set about expanding the global luxury brand, adding or renewing more than 20 brokerage firms around the world in the past 12 months. The two executives have appeared on the SP 200 list every year since its debut in 2014. This is the fifth consecutive year in which they have ranked among the top 40.

Christie’s International Real Estate president, Chris Lim, joins Golden and Wong on this year’s list. Lim co-founded mobile-first real estate brokerage firm Climb in San Francisco in 2010, selling the company to Realogy six years later. He joined Chicago-based @properties in 2020 to launch the company’s national franchise brand and quickly took on a similar role with Christie’s International Real Estate following its acquisition.

Also on this year’s SP 200 list is Cameron Merage, founder and CEO of multi-billion-dollar brokerage firm First Team Real Estate, based in Irvine, Calif. One of the largest brokerage firms in the Christie’s International Real Estate network, First Team dominates the Orange County market, consistently ranking first in closed transactions on an annual basis. This past year was also one of the most successful from a recruiting standpoint in the company’s 46-year history, setting up a strong 2023.

Finally, the 2023 SP 200 list includes Phil Wood, CEO of Naples, Fla.-based John R. Wood Properties. Wood oversees a three-generation family-owned firm, established by his father in 1958. Today, John R. Wood is the oldest active brokerage firm in Southwest Florida, as well as the largest with more than 700 agents and 21 offices. The multi-billion-dollar company joined the Christie’s International Real Estate network in September 2022.

“It’s an honor to be recognized with this group of industry leaders, and we’re particularly proud of the fact that it represents a strong showing among independent firms, with First Team, John R. Wood and @properties. Vibrant, owner-led brokerage firms are essential to our industry, and Christie’s International Real Estate is focused on supporting the best among them. Our goal is to help many more Christie’s International Real Estate affiliates make this list in the years ahead,” said Thad Wong.

Released annually in January, Swanepoel’s Power 200 recognizes the most powerful executives in the residential real estate industry for the preceding year. Published by real estate consulting firm T3 Sixty, the list is regarded as one of the highest distinctions a real estate industry executive can receive.