James Zheng

About

James Zheng is the CEO and President of Goettsch Partners. As such, he leads the firm’s overall business and management strategy, as well as daily operations. In addition, he frequently serves as the partner-in-charge for large-scale office, hospitality and mixed-use high-rises and multibuilding complexes, particularly throughout Asia. His perspective from working on projects in the U.S. and overseas has helped guide the firm’s global expansion. Through his efforts, the firm established a representative office in Shanghai in 2004. Today, the firm maintains a growing full-service office there staffed with both local and U.S.-trained professionals.

Some of Mr. Zheng’s projects include the 15-story, 535,000-square-foot China Diamond Exchange Center in Shanghai; the five-building, 5.1 million-square-foot China Resources Qianhai Center in Shenzhen; a 1.5 million-square-foot hospitality complex for Poly in Sanya, featuring a 250-key Rosewood hotel, serviced apartments, and the International Finance Forum; and The Summit mixed-use complex in Suzhou, developed by Tishman Speyer.

Mr. Zheng received a Bachelor of Architecture degree from the University of Illinois at Chicago and a Master of Business Administration degree from Northwestern University's Kellogg School of Management. Since joining the firm in 1995, he has quickly risen to his leadership position with balanced strengths in design, marketing and management. In recognition of his wide-ranging talents and accomplishments, Mr. Zheng received the 2004 AIA Chicago Young Architect Award and was named among the Crain's Chicago Business 40 Under 40 in 2005. He is a member of the AIA, a registered LEED Accredited Professional, and a member of The Executives’ Club of Chicago.

He has served as a speaker at events held by AIA Chicago, the Chicago Architecture Foundation and Tongji University. He has also been featured in such publications as The New York Times, Crain’s Chicago Business, and the Chicago Tribune, among others.