15th Summit featured all-star speaker line-up

At our 15th Global Real Estate Summit, an all-star line-up of top real estate dealmakers, investors, and innovators shared insights and analysis of the ways in which the real estate industry is being transformed as it reacts to unprecedented technological innovation and disruption, global economic trends, regulatory change, and political uncertainty.

At this year’s Summit, we also introduced RE Live Talks – short, powerful talks in which leading futurists shared their wisdom on how blockchain, mobility, proptech and health and wellness will shape the future of the places and the ways in which we live and work.

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Sam Zell

Sam Zell

Chairman

Equity Group Investments

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Sam Zell is the Chairman of Equity Group Investments (EGI), the private investment firm he founded more than 40 years ago. The firm's investments span industries and continents and include interests in finance, energy, transportation, communications, health care and real estate. Mr. Zell is recognized as a founding father of today's public real estate industry after creating three of the largest REITs in history.

He is also Founder and Chairman of Equity International, a private investment firm focused on building real estate-related businesses in international emerging markets. Mr. Zell has been particularly active in bringing Equity International's companies to the public markets.

Three of these investments are listed on the New York Stock Exchange: Gafisa, a leading homebuilder in Brazil; Xinyuan, a fast-growing regional homebuilder in China; and Homex, Mexico's leading homebuilder. A fourth, BR Malls, Brazil's largest retail property owner and operator, is listed on the Bovespa.

2019 Schedule

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7:15 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.
Summit registration
7:15 a.m. – 8:00 a.m.
Continental breakfast
8:00 a.m. – 9:15 a.m.
Opening Remarks from Steve Weikal: Technology, Innovation and the Future of Real Estate

Well-established traditions of developing, transacting and managing real estate are being fundamentally challenged by societal and demographic changes, breakthroughs in technology and new, innovative business models. Steve Weikal from the MiT Center for Real Estate will share some of the emerging trends and opportunities from this unparalleled industry transformation.

Presentation materials

Opening Remarks
Steve Weikal

Steve Weikal

Head of Industry and Alumni Relations
CRE Tech Lead, MiT REILab

MiT Center for Real Estate

 
9:15 a.m. – 10:30 a.m.
Real Estate in a World of Disruption and Uncertainty
Moderator: Karen Horstmann
Panelists: Debra Cafaro, Sandeep Mathrani, Kathleen McCarthy and Len O'Donnell

Society and the global economy are being radically transformed right before our eyes. Changes in business and consumer behavior are altering the investment and development decisions of real estate investors and capital providers. Our panel of leaders will discuss how their firms and the larger industry are addressing this continuously changing and uncertain environment and what we might expect to see in the near future.

Moderator
Karen Horstmann

Karen Horstmann

Head of Acquisitions

Allianz Real Estate of America

Speakers
Debra Cafaro

Debra Cafaro

Chairman and Chief Executive Officer

Ventas, Inc.

Sandeep Mathrani

Sandeep Mathrani

Chief Executive Officer

Brookfield Properties Retail Group

Kathleen McCarthy

Kathleen McCarthy

Global Co-Head of Real Estate

Blackstone

Len O'Donnell

Len O'Donnell

President and Chief Executive Officer

USAA Real Estate

10:45 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
Innovating, Disrupting and Commingling Space Environments
Moderator: Mitchell Schear
Panelists: Peter Barnett, Laura Hines-Pierce, Jodie McLean and Ryan Simonetti

This panel will explore the changing paradigms, as well as the merging and cross-pollination, of various real estate product types. Panelists include owners, a user, and a facilitator – each of whom are grappling with similar questions about, and solutions for, highly effective spaces that attract people. The discussion will address the growing role of hospitality and its dynamic intersection with office, residential, hotels, retail and flex spaces. Our industry experts will share what is most important as they design and create forward-looking spaces to maximize flexibility and usability for their consumers.

Moderator
Mitchell Schear

Mitchell Schear

Executive Partner

Camber Creek

Speakers
Peter Barnett

Peter Barnett

Real Estate Strategy Leader

PwC

Laura Hines-Pierce

Laura Hines-Pierce

Managing Director

Hines

Jodie McLean

Jodie McLean

Chief Executive Officer

EDENS

Ryan Simonetti

Ryan Simonetti

Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer

Convene

10:45 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
Investing Capital in Times of Change
Moderator: Stephen Quazzo
Panelists: Pamela Herbst, Christopher Merrill, Randall Rowe and Susan Swanezy

Economic uncertainty has arisen, yet abundant capital persists. Attractive yields are scarce. Change in consumer and commercial desires surrounds us as industry norms and conventional ways of analyzing new opportunities are upended. This panel will address what investors are seeking now, and what the future holds for equity investments.   

Moderator
Stephen Quazzo

Stephen Quazzo

Chief Executive Officer

Pearlmark Real Estate

Speakers
Pamela Herbst

Pamela Herbst

Managing Director, Head of Direct Investments

AEW Capital Management

Christopher Merrill

Christopher Merrill

Co-Founder, Chairman & Chief Executive Officer

Harrison Street

Randall Rowe

Randall Rowe

Chairman

Green Courte Partners

Susan Swanezy

Susan Swanezy

Partner

Hodes Weill & Associates

12:15 p.m. – 2:00 p.m.
Update from Washington: What's Happening Now
Moderator: Carol A. Melton
Panelists: Ambassador Nicholas Burns, Secretary William Cohen and Senator Bob Corker

As the roller coaster ride of unpredictable times continues in Washington, the domestic and international challenges confronting the United States are among the most intense in modern history. From immigration to international trade, to Brexit, to global hotspots in Iran, North Korea, the Middle East and elsewhere, the Trump Administration and Congress face an overflowing inbox of complex issues every day. With years of experience working with multiple US Presidents, on Capitol Hill, and alongside world leaders of both key US allies and antagonists, our panelists are uniquely situated to share their insights on these challenges. 

Moderator
Carol A. Melton

Carol A. Melton

Chief Executive Officer

Adeft Capital

Speakers
Ambassador Nicholas Burns

Ambassador Nicholas Burns

Former US Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs
Senior Counselor

The Cohen Group

Secretary William Cohen

Secretary William Cohen

Former US Secretary of Defense
Chairman and CEO

The Cohen Group

Senator Bob Corker

Senator Bob Corker

Former US Senator

2:15 p.m. – 3:30 p.m.
The Future of Real Estate Finance
Moderator: Mark Myers
Panelists: Tom Flexner, Greta Guggenheim, Jonathan Pollack and Tiffany Thurber

The real estate finance markets have evolved in response to the Global Financial Crisis, regulatory reforms and emerging trends in the industry. While banks and life companies and CMBS continue to dominate the capital markets, new entrants are also emerging – bringing with them different and disruptive ways of thinking about capital raising, underwriting and loan servicing. Fintech, more robust data and the operational shifts occurring within the larger marketplace are expected to significantly influence the broader corporate finance markets. Real estate finance surely will not go unaffected. This panel will discuss where we have been, where we are going and the long-term future of real estate finance.

Moderator
Mark Myers

Mark Myers

Executive Vice President
Head of Commercial Real Estate

Wells Fargo

Speakers
Tom Flexner

Tom Flexner

Vice Chairman
Global Head of Real Estate

Citigroup

Greta Guggenheim

Greta Guggenheim

Chief Executive Officer

TPG Real Estate Finance Trust

Jonathan Pollack

Jonathan Pollack

Senior Managing Director and Global Head of Blackstone Real Estate Debt Strategies

Blackstone

Tiffany Thurber

Tiffany Thurber

Vice President, Investment Banking Division

Goldman Sachs

2:15 p.m. – 3:30 p.m.
The Next Frontier
Moderator: Zach Aarons
Panelists: Shaina Doar, Lucy Fletcher, Angie Marks and Marcela Sapone

The ongoing technological revolution is dramatically changing the real estate industry. Shared spaces, logistics, automation, robotics, blockchain, smart contracts, artificial intelligence and other new technologies are impacting the industry and the larger global real estate economy, which nonetheless remains fundamentally based on dirt, bricks and mortar. Our group of experts working on the latest innovations in the industry will share a range of perspectives on the impacts of technology in real estate and take a deep dive into the intersection of "prop" and "tech."

Moderator
Zach Aarons

Zach Aarons

Co-Founder and Partner

MetaProp

Speakers
Shaina Doar

Shaina Doar

Head of City Operations

Sidewalk Labs

Lucy Fletcher

Lucy Fletcher

Managing Director, International Portfolio Management

QuadReal Property Group

Angie Marks

Angie Marks

Associate Vice President of Real Estate Operations

University of Chicago

Marcela Sapone

Marcela Sapone

Chief Executive Officer

Hello Alfred

3:30 p.m. – 4:30 p.m.
RE Live Talks
Panelists: Terry Howerton, Mark Joseph and Phil Williams

Engage with us and leading real estate futurists, each of whom will discuss the ideas that are changing the way we live and work.

How are Innovation and Disruption Changing Real Estate?
Large companies and entire industries are being disrupted every day and at risk more than at any time in world economic history (74% of Fortune 1000 companies from 10 years ago don’t make the list today). Terry Howerton, CEO of TechNexus, will describe the evolving best practices for harnessing disruption and collaborative growth that are needed for real estate industry leaders to evolve.  

Mobility
From autonomous cars to millennials on scooters, the ways in which we commute, live, work, shop and play are changing. Mark Joseph, CEO of Mobitas Advisors, will take us on a tour of the future of mobility and its impact on real estate development.

Presentation materials

Re-Imagining the Built Environment
Health and wellness are influencing the development of office buildings, multifamily properties and hotels, all with an eye to improving the satisfaction and performance of the people in those places. Phil Williams, Executive Vice President, Building and Human Performance, Delos Living, will describe how the WELL building standard and other aspects of change are impacting the future of the spaces in which we live, work and play.

Presentation materials

Speakers
Terry Howerton

Terry Howerton

CEO

TechNexus

Mark Joseph

Mark Joseph

Founder and Chief Executive Officer

Mobitas Advisors

Phil Williams

Phil Williams

Executive Vice President Building and Human Performance

Delos Living

4:30 p.m. – 5:30 p.m.
Cocktails and conversation

What past delegates say

"I go to a lot of events and watch plenty of panels… this was one of the best I have ever attended. The quality of speakers and the folks in the room were of the highest caliber in our industry."

2017 Summit Attendee