Inspiring Leaders in Our Changing Industry: Thoughts on Progress and the Next Generation 

The 18 C-suite executives Connect CRE selected to participate in our 2024 Leadership Series, “Inspiring Leaders in Our Changing Industry,” each provided individual responses. However, among the six questions we provided as options, two were answered more frequently than any of the others:  

• “Catalysts for Change: What are the essential elements for achieving significant progress within your organization and the industry as a whole?” and 

• “Guiding the Next Generation: As we acknowledge the industry’s rising stars, what guidance can you offer them to become catalysts for positive change? “  

Below are excerpts from some of the responses to the “Catalysts for Change” question: 

Al Brooks, head of commercial estate at JPMorgan Chase: Success requires an incredible amount of hard work and commitment, and it is never guaranteed. To achieve success, it is essential to do right by your employees, clients, and shareholders. Consistency in delivering results for these groups, regardless of the market environment, is important.    

Hessam Nadji, president and CEO, Marcus & Millichap: Many changes abound in the industry, including consolidation, technology, workforce changes, demographics and other megatrends. AI is probably the most visibly impactful in the shortest amount of time.  I believe AI has a high degree of hype and unrealistic expectations, as well as some extremely real, hard-hitting points of impact for commercial real estate. Defining the difference between the two is up to each company, whether it’s a principal, lender or service provider like Marcus & Millichap. 

Brian Malliet, CEO of BKM Capital Partners: A major catalyst for change in the broader CRE industry is the adoption of the Constant and Never-Ending Improvement (CANI) mindset. With this mindset, change is embraced and innovation is encouraged. CANI promotes continuous development in both individuals and organizations, enabling them to constantly seek improvement in an evolving market by embracing change, challenging the status quo, and investing in employee growth. 

Arturo Sneider, CEO of Primestor: Consistent discipline, deep research and attention to detail continue to be our guiding principles. Regardless of technological advances and networks, the fundamental reality that we are in the “real” estate industry grounds us to be mindful that what we do is very tangible and must be field verified and studied up close. Markets change quickly and this practice has helped us implement new tech and pivot but always mindful of the impact our industry has on the quality of life of our neighborhoods. 

Here are excerpts from our CRE leaders’ insights into “Guiding the Next Generation”: 

Bob Faith, founder and CEO, Greystar: My advice is to commit to excellence in every aspect of your work. Understand the fundamentals of the industry deeply and look for ways to improve them. Innovation doesn’t always mean creating something entirely new – it can also mean refining or enhancing what already exists. 

Simon Ziff, president of Ackman-Ziff Real Estate Group LLC: I recently posted about this subject on LinkedIn and received many thoughtful and poignant responses from my connections wide and far. At Ackman-Ziff we believe it is every team member’s responsibility to be a resource for those interested in learning more about the firm and the industry.   

Cappy Daume, chief portfolio management officer, The Davis Companies: As time has gone on, I have realized that no one transaction defines you. First, they are fleeting, and secondly, there will always be another one. Internalizing this thinking creates space to have compassion for yourself and for people on the other side of the table.   

Jim Brooks, president of BH Properties: Now more than ever, it is crucial to empower our future leaders with purpose, passion, and a strong sense of commitment. As such, we adhere to an in-office approach to management because it provides the opportunity to guide and nurture our talent of tomorrow. 

Click here for the full 2024 Leadership Series.