The Global Authority in Luxury Real Estate

Thad Wong is the co-founder and co-CEO of @properties and co-CEO of Christie’s International Real Estate. Together with his partner, Mike Golden, Thad built a portfolio of businesses that includes Chicagoland’s #1 brokerage firm by sales volume; one of the world’s leading luxury real estate brands; and affiliated companies in mortgage and title.

Thad began selling real estate in Chicago in the mid-1990s, teaming up with Golden to work on loft conversions and new-construction developments. They quickly became the top-producing agents in the city, and in 2000, they started @properties. Over the next two decades, they grew the firm into one of the top 10 brokerages in the United States.

Thad is one of the leading technology pioneers in residential brokerage. He oversaw the development of pl@tform™, one of the industry’s first fully-integrated tech systems for managing all aspects of the client relationship and real estate transaction. He is also a highly creative entrepreneur whose enthusiasm for pushing the envelope and breaking rules has led to iconic marketing campaigns like @properties’ “love” campaign.

In 2025, Thad and Mike engineered the sale of their business to Compass International Holdings. Today, they continue to lead both @properties and Christie’s International Real Estate as separate brands under the new parent company.

In addition to his business ventures, Thad is an avid supporter of philanthropic causes. He established @gives back, @properties’ non-profit foundation, which has raised over $1 million for local Chicago charities.

He is on the board of Imerman Angels and the Chicago Children’s Museum; and through his advocacy and generosity, has impacted many other organizations including the United States Holocaust Memorial, Harold Eisenberg Foundation, the Haymarket Center and College Possible.

Mike Golden is the Co-Founder and Co-CEO of @properties and Co-CEO of Christie’s International Real Estate. Together with business partner Thad Wong, he built a portfolio of companies that includes @properties, Chicago’s No. 1 brokerage firm; Christie’s International Real Estate, one of the world’s leading luxury real estate brands; and mortgage and title businesses - along with the technology to power brokerage operations.

Mike began selling real estate part-time in the mid-1990s to earn money for graduate school. Early success marketing loft conversions and new construction in Chicago quickly changed those plans. He teamed up with Thad Wong, and the two quickly became the city’s top-selling real estate agents.

In 2000, the pair launched @properties and, over the next two decades, grew the firm into one of the top 10 brokerages in the United States. Among their key innovations was pl@tform™, @properties’ proprietary brokerage technology providing a fully integrated system for managing the client relationship and real estate transaction.

Mike and Thad expanded their vision globally in 2021 with the acquisition of Christie’s International Real Estate. The network now spans more than 50 countries and territories. In 2025, the partners engineered the sale of their businesses to Compass International Holdings. Today, they continue to lead both @properties and Christie’s International Real Estate as distinct brands under the new parent company.

Golden is a past president of the Chicago Association of REALTORS® and a recipient of the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year Award for the Midwest. Other honors include the Lincoln Park Builders Club Impact Award and the Merrick Momentum Award from the Chicago Entrepreneurial Center at 1871. He serves on the board of directors for Maryville Academy.

A native of the Boston area, Golden graduated from Bates College with a bachelor’s degree in philosophy and economics.

As President of Christie's International Real Estate, Gavin Swartzman leads the global strategy, growth and performance of one of the world's preeminent luxury real estate networks. Working closely with affiliate leaders across more than 50 countries and territories, he is responsible for expanding the brand's global footprint while ensuring its brokerage owners, agents and clients benefit from industry-leading technology, marketing, business intelligence and strategic support.

Since assuming the role, Gavin has overseen a period of significant international expansion. Christie's International Real Estate has more than doubled its presence in Asia; established a growing presence in the Middle East; and welcomed market-leading affiliates in Europe and the Americas. 

Central to Gavin's leadership philosophy is the belief that success in luxury real estate is built on trust. He champions the role of the real estate professional as a trusted advisor, shaping the network's approach to leadership at every level.

Under Gavin's leadership, Christie’s International Real Estate has also strengthened its focus on community, collaboration and professional excellence. He has expanded Masters Circle, the brand’s exclusive community of top-producing agents, and launched The Council, an invitation-only leadership forum that brings together 50 of the network's highest-performing advisors collectively representing more than $6 billion in annual sales.

Before joining Christie's International Real Estate, Gavin spent more than a decade as CEO of Peerage Realty Partners, a Toronto-based real estate services company that owns and operates brokerage firms across North America. His experience spans brokerage operations, franchise development, mergers and acquisitions, finance, and marketing, giving him a uniquely broad perspective on the evolving real estate industry.

Gavin was named to the 2026 Swanepoel Power 200 (SP200), which recognizes the industry's most influential executives. He holds a master's degree in finance and accounting from the University of Waterloo.