Christopher "Topher" Merrill (born 1971) is an American real estate investment manager and business executive who is the co-founder and Global CEO of Harrison Street Asset Management. A real estate, infrastructure, and private credit investment management firm that he established with former Motorola Inc. chairman and CEO Chris Galvin and his brother Michael Galvin in 2005.
Merrill was born in Okinawa, Japan, in 1971, where his father was serving as a doctor in the Army. Shortly after his birth the family returned to Illinois. Merrill earned his BA in Economics from Roanoke College, where he played on the golf team, and also worked part-time at a commercial bank. He received his MBA from the Bayes Business School (formerly known as CASS School of Business) in London, England.
Merrill started his career at global real estate investment management firm Heitman, where he launched Heitman's first foreign investment fund, and eventually became a partner and managing director. ÃÂ
After living in London for five years, Merrill returned to Chicago in 2005 to establish Harrison Street together with Chris Glavin and his brother Michael, who provided the seed money. In 2018, Colliers International Group Inc. (CIGI) purchased the Galvin's interests in Harrison Street. In July 2025, Colliers announced that it would rebrand its entire investment management division as Harrison Street Asset Management and appointed Merrill as Global CEO, thereby making him the largest individual shareholder at the time.
Merrill and his wife, Peyton, are involved in various Chicago community efforts through their work with First Tee, PanCAN, and Rush Hospital. They have three children together. Merrill is also known by his nickname, âÂÂTopherâÂÂ.