CBRE/New England will merge with Grossman Retail Advisors on Jan. 1 after operating a joint venture retail brokerage for six years.

The new entity will be led by Jeremy Grossman, who will concentrate on urban and agency business, and Kevin Higgins, who will continue to head the national and tenant representation unit.

The Boston-based unit will be renamed under the CBRE/New England brand. President Howard Grossman will continue to advise the retail group but will no longer be involved with day-to-day operations, according to a company statement.

The joint venture was founded in 2009 with the goal of creating a New England-based full-service retail brokerage, combining CBRE’s strength in investment sales with Grossman’s specialty in leasing. The company also offers property management and consulting services.

Howard Grossman, a former principal at Boston-based Samuels & Assoc., was chosen as president of the new venture in 2009. His son Jeremy, formerly the head of Federal Realty Investment Trust’s Boston office, also joined the company at the time.

Higgins joined the firm in 2010 after previously serving as an executive at Katz & Assoc. of New York.

Among the company’s high-profile leasing assignments is Related Beal’s 343,000-square-foot Congress Square redevelopment of five former Fidelity Investments office buildings in Boston’s Financial District. Related Beal is converting more than 50,000 square feet of former office space on Quaker Lane, Devonshire Street and Congress Street into retail and restaurant space.