CEO Letter

The Hines Standard represents the global real estate benchmark for value creation, integrity, service and quality for all clients.

All Hines products and services are of the highest standard as appropriate for the mission.

The Hines employee is the greatest example of the Hines Standard and the company’s most valuable asset.

Hines is committed to fostering an inclusive culture where diversity is respected and valued.

We will continually strive to be the industry leader in sustainability and the premier real estate company in the world.

Hines’ Guiding Principles

I have never believed in status quo. I believe we can always improve—either by rethinking existing ways of doing things or by thinking outside the box. This is innovation. It’s a state of mind.

Gerald D. Hines
Founder and Chairman

In 2017, Hines celebrated its 60th anniversary, continuing dad’s legacy of successful partnerships in innovative and sustainable real estate investments. As a firm, it is not in our nature to stand still. Successful companies are never static, and being a leader means staying nimble, sharing ideas, and adapting to change.

It also means recognizing that real estate is not the same as it was 60, 50, or even five years ago. Our industry has changed more in the last five years than it did in the entire 25 years preceding that.

In a time of on-demand and digital disruption, the way people live and work is changing rapidly. Peers and competitors that didn’t exist 10 years ago now carry substantial influence. As a result, we are adapting as an organization to better respond to market needs, global investment opportunities and evolving employee preferences.

This report details ways that Hines is leading and adapting to such dramatic changes to accomplish our vision: to be the best real estate investor, partner and manager in the world.

In the chapter on Strategy + Innovation, we highlight how Hines is harnessing the power of innovation, technology and new and emerging industries to remain at the forefront of real estate and investment management. We also touch on this in the Sustainable Development chapter where we highlight partnerships to further understand how interior spaces affect human health and well-being and how we can design buildings that promote wellness and productivity.

One way we deliver results is through the support and service of the communities where we live and work. We are based in Houston, and are sharing a special feature on how our employees came together after Hurricane Harvey. I am humbled by my colleagues’ hard work and gestures of humanity as we are all affected by natural disasters in our communities.

This report is filled with how far Hines has come, and how far we have yet to go. We’ll stay open to new partnerships that move us closer to our goals. We’ll also continue to adapt and reaffirm Hines’ vision and guiding principles. On behalf of the more than 4,000 professionals who work for Hines, thank you for your support. You can count on us to remain committed to a sustainable, innovative future.