ABOUT ME
Real estate professional with +16 years of experience in land and property development. I have worked on projects in New York and internationally.
I served as Director of Design and Development (2007-2017) and Director of Real Estate (2010-2017) for Solidere, one of the largest development firms in MENA (+1.5B assets). Previously, I was a Development Manager at Vornado Realty Trust, focused on retail and mixed-use developments in New York City and the Tri-State Area.
Master-planning and urban-design professional with +14 years of client-side experience leading the design and implementation of urban developments.
I assembled and managed an accomplished master-planning and urban-design team for Solidere. I led the design of an award-winning masterplan for Al Zorah, an ambitious 2.2Mm²/23.7Mft² hospitality-led development. I oversaw the implementation plan for the New Waterfront District, a 1.7Mm²/18.3Mft² urban regeneration project.
Experienced real estate consultant. I provide real estate advisory and owner representation services to private clients and family offices.
As a practiced real estate consultant, I continue to deliver advisory and management services to individual clients and family offices. Previously, I was appointed Director of Real Estate Consulting by Drees & Sommer, one of the largest professional services firms in Europe. Subsequently, I served as Co-Managing Director of Drees & Sommer’s UK office.
Ivy-league trained architect and real estate professional. I hold RICS chartered status. I am currently a REBNY license candidate.
I hold a Master of Real Estate and Master of Architecture from Harvard University, a Bachelor of Architecture from Cornell University and a Certificate in Commercial Real Estate from the Cornell SC Johnson College of Business. I am a Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) licensed professional. I am a Real Estate Board of New York (REBNY) license candidate.
DEVELOPMENT MANAGEMENT
Professional development manager with +16 years of experience in the delivery of real estate and land developments. Collaborated on implementation of Phase One of Al Zorah which comprised; Base Infrastructure & Public Domain ($136M), Marina One ($43M), Oberoi Resort ($150M) and Al Zorah Golf Course ($44M). Collaborated on implementation of Phase One of the New Waterfront District which comprised; Base Infrastructure and Public Domain ($47M).
PRE-ACQUISITION
Experienced pre-acquisition manager with a demonstrable track record in mature and emerging markets. Delivered +40 feasibility appraisals in 10 countries for prospective land and real estate developments ($15M-$320M). Skilled at assembling and leading consultants (+28 subject-matter experts) to undertake market, regulatory, legal and financial assessments. Led due diligence for 33 opportunities (acquisitions / joint ventures) in seven countries.
MASTER PLANNING
Accomplished master planner with +14 years of experience in regeneration and urban development. Led the design of an award winning master plan (Best Mixed Use Development . International Property Awards . 2014) for Al Zorah (2Km²/494-acre . 2.2Mm²/23.7Mft² GFA). Oversaw the implementation plan for the Beirut New Waterfront District, Solidere’s flagship urban regeneration project (291,000m²/72-acres . 1.7Mm²/18.3Mft² GFA).
REAL ESTATE CONSULTING
Experienced real estate consultant providing advisory / owner representation services to individual investors and family offices in the U.S. and internationally. Specialized in market analysis, strategic planning, prospecting, due diligence and feasibility appraisals. Served as Director of Real Estate Consulting at Drees & Sommer. Established and led three new U.K. service lines; Real Estate Consulting, Technical Due Diligence and Cradle to Cradle.
PRE-CONSTRUCTION
Professional pre-construction manager with +16 years of experience. Expertise in assembling and leading project teams (+/-18 subject-matter experts). Led pre-construction client-side for ambitious land developments (6.3Km²/1,551-acres) and real estate projects (660,000m² / 7.1Mft²). Skilled at progressing the regulatory process, negotiating entitlements and securing approvals. Adept at aligning a project’s real estate product to its financial objectives.
DESIGN MANAGEMENT
Skilled design manager with +16 years of experience leading projects client-side. Adept at achieving design excellence whilst meeting commercial objectives. Managed architectural / urban design / landscape architecture / infrastructure commissions by leading international design practices; Renzo Piano Building Workshop, Piero Lissoni Associati, Shigeru Ban Architects, Nabil Gholam Architects, Allies & Morrison, DAR, CRTKL and ILEX amongst others.
URBAN DESIGN
Urban designer with expertise in ground-up and complex infill development projects. Led urban design of an award winning scheme (Best Mixed Use Development . International Property Awards . 2016) for the Al Zorah Marina (28,000m²/6.9-acres . 84,259m²/907,000ft² GFA). Led urban design for District M, a beachfront mixed-use ‘Mediterranean urban village’ within Marbella’s Golden Mile (30,000m²/7.4-acre . 45,000m²/484,000ft² GFA).
PASSIONS & PURSUITS
A look beyond property development. I am interested in how master-planning and architecture are taught today. I aspire to teach design studios around themes of ‘Sustainable Cities from Zero’ and ‘Public-Private Equilibrium in Urban Development’. I am passionate about the communicative power of art. I aspire to cofound a gallery that offers emergent artists from global conflict zones a platform to tell their stories. Looking for collaborators - carpe diem.