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September 25, 2024 | LOS ANGELES

Agenda - Pacific Daylight Time

Register Today

8:00 am - Registration & Networking

Breakfast Briefing
 
Join a workshop-style discussion with fellow delegates, and collectively discuss the biggest opportunities and challenges you face today.

 

9:00 am - Chairperson’s Welcome & Opening Remarks

9:10 am - Keynote Fireside Chat: CalSTRS' Investment Playbook: Strategies, Allocation, and Success Factors

Join us for a Keynote Fireside Chat with Julie Donegan, Director of Real Estate at CalSTRS, as we delve into the strategies behind their remarkable success. Discover how CalSTRS strategically invests in real estate, optimizing capital deployment across sector and learn firsthand about the standout strategies that capture CalSTRS' attention and secure funding in today's competitive landscape.

Topics:

  • Tactical Capital Deployment: Optimizing Investments Across Sectors
  • Investment Focus and Portfolio Rebalancing: Discover CalSTRS’ current investment priorities and their approach to rebalancing in today’s market.
  • Stand Out Strategies: Capturing CalSTRS' Attention and Securing Funding.

 

Moderator

Jonathan Roth

Managing Partner and Co-Founder

3650 REIT

Mr. Roth is a Co-Founder and Managing Partner of 3650 REIT and is responsible for the identification and evaluation of investment opportunities as well as the formulation and implementation of best practices for the identification, structuring, documentation and management of all investment opportunities.  Mr. Roth brings almost 40 years of experience and expertise in investment management with a focus on the origination, structuring and management of debt and equity facilities secured by real estate.  Previously, Mr. Roth served as President of Canyon Partners Real Estate LLC, where he oversaw the management of Canyon Partners’ real estate investment arm.  During his 18 year tenure at Canyon, Mr. Roth was instrumental in the building of a fully integrated investment advisor as well as the formation and the investment activities of several investment vehicles, including the Canyon-Johnson Urban Funds, the Value Mortgage Separate Account platform, the Canyon Multifamily Impact Fund and the Canyon Catalyst Fund investing approximately $5.6 billion in over 200 transactions.  An expert in complex commercial, land, retail, office, hospitality, condominium and multifamily transactions and portfolios, Mr. Roth directly led the acquisition and origination teams for Canyon and served on the investment committees for many of the Canyon platforms.   Prior to joining Canyon, Mr. Roth was a Partner at the international law firm of Loeb & Loeb and specialized in all aspects of real estate transactions with an emphasis on structuring, documentation and negotiation of complex finance, restructuring, disposition and acquisitions that excelled particularly during periods of distress.  Mr. Roth has served on multiple philanthropic boards and works with several leading medical institutions including the USC Center for Applied Molecular Medicine, UCLA Medical Center and Cedars Sinai Hospital. Mr. Roth currently sits on the Board of Governors for Cedars Sinai Hospital and the Ronald Reagan Medical Center Board.

 

Mr. Roth holds a B.A. in English Literature from UCLA, and a J.D. from Loyola Law School.

Keynote Speaker

Julie Donegan

Director of Real Estate

California State Teachers' Retirement System (CalSTRS)

Julie Donegan brings over 20 years of institutional investment management experience to her role as Real Estate Investment Director at the California State Teachers’ Retirement System (CalSTRS). With a proven track record in the real estate industry, Donegan has held progressively responsible positions in leading firms, establishing strong relationships with strategic partners and fostering consensus across organizational levels. In her capacity, Donegan executes the board’s Real Estate Investment Policy and advises on portfolio management strategies, representing CalSTRS on advisory boards and industry forums. Donegan's commitment to advancing diversity, equity, and inclusion in real estate aligns with CalSTRS’ mission to secure the retirement of California’s public educators. She holds a bachelor’s degree in business management from the University of Phoenix’s Sacramento and  a professional advancement certificate in Oracle database management from California State University, Sacramento.

9:50 am - Keynote Fireside Chat: Beyond Tomorrow: LACERA's Innovations in Real Estate Investing

Explore the forward-looking strategies of LACERA in real estate investment with insights from Mike Gatto, Board Member at LACERA. Delve into their innovative approaches, sector-specific insights, and key metrics guiding investments in today's rapidly evolving market landscape. Discover how LACERA embraces innovation and technology, focuses on urban development, identifies global opportunities, and integrates Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) factors into their investment decisions.

Topics:

  • Innovation in Real Estate: How LACERA embraces innovation and technology to stay ahead in real estate investments.
  • Urban Development Focus: LACERA's emphasis on urban development projects and their impact on community growth.
  • Global Investment Outlook: Where LACERA sees global real estate opportunities and their criteria for international investments.
  • ESG Integration: LACERA's commitment to Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) factors in real estate investment decisions.

Keynote Speaker

Mike Gatto

Member of Board of Investments

Los Angeles County Employees Retirement Association (LACERA)

Mike Gatto, a former California State Assembly Member and current overseer of LACERA's $75 billion retirement fund, boasts a career marked by legislative prowess and legal victories. With eight successful elections and four terms in the Assembly, he chaired influential committees, shaping policy in consumer protection, privacy, and utilities. Gatto authored 55 laws, including significant legislation, showcasing expertise in government finance, technology, and cybersecurity.

Gatto's commitment to public service extends to various roles in congressional and mayoral administrations, alongside active participation in boards and educational institutions. Mike also remains dedicated to community and family life in Southern California.

10:30 am - Case Study: Transforming LP Engagement: A Technological Breakthrough

Discover how cutting-edge technology is revolutionizing the way Limited Partners manage their investments, driving efficiency, liquidity, and profitability.

  • How can AI and Blockchain facilitate LP swaps, exits, and capital calls?
  • How can liquidity be provided without impacting your balance sheet?
  • How does increased marketability and easier fundraising benefit institutional LPs and retail investors?
  • What are the tax benefits of utilizing a private “marketplace”?

 

William Lively

Chief Executive Officer

EXtrance

William Lively is a distinguished figure in the realm of technology and commercial real estate, with an illustrious career commencing at DCI Capital, the pioneering investment firm in the United States focused exclusively on blockchain. At DCI Capital, he ascended to the position of Partner, initially leading investor relations and subsequently spearheading ventures in emerging markets. 

Mr. Lively founded EXtrance in 2021, driven by his realization that prevailing investor and investment management practices and platforms in the real estate domain lacked the cutting-edge advancements in AI, ML, and blockchain technology which he had pioneered and wholeheartedly embraced. EXtrance has unequivocally set a new benchmark within the industry, establishing itself as an exemplar of excellence in investment and investor management platforms. The company boasts an accomplished team of technologists, private equity professionals, and real estate experts, all united in their pursuit of innovation. In recognition of its remarkable achievements, EXtrance was objectively and independently acknowledged as the preeminent AI-powered real estate solution of 2023 by Acquisitions International, featured prominently among the top ten overall real estate solutions by Proptech Outlook, and most recently was recognized as the most innovative investment management platform by a large, independent committee of industry experts.

10:50 am - Networking Break

11:10 am - Interactive Panel: Navigating California's Real Estate Landscape: Key Strategies for Multifamily, Office, Hospitality & Retail Investors

Explore California's real estate landscape with industry leaders unveiling strategies to optimize multifamily investments, tap into office market trends, and leverage innovations in hospitality, retail, and mixed-use development. 

  • Maximizing Returns and Managing Distress in Multifamily Investments: How can value-add returns be optimized while handling distress and workouts in multifamily development deals? Are low-income housing tax credit (LIHTC) and workforce housing still viable investment options?
  • Community and Affordability in Multifamily Real Estate: Why is investing in community and affordability crucial for multifamily real estate, given the 2025 housing forecast and recent legal developments affecting rent control laws?
  • Office Market Health and Rejuvenating Bank Lending: Which segments of the office market are still healthy, and what efforts are being made to rejuvenate bank lending? What factors are hindering equity investments in office properties?
  • Innovations and Disruptions in Hospitality, Retail, and Mixed-Use Development: What innovations are occurring in the hospitality and retail markets? How is mixed-use development being balanced in California amidst an industrial market surge? What challenges and opportunities are present in luxury multifamily development?

Moderator

John Vipiana

Senior Vice President and Real Estate Practice Leader

Heffernan Insurance Brokers

​With over two decades of insurance experience, John Vipiana currently serves as the Senior Vice President and Real Estate Practice Leader at Heffernan Insurance Brokers. Specializing in addressing the risk management and insurance needs of Real Estate Professionals nationwide, including owners, managers, and developers, John is dedicated to guiding his clients through the complexities of property valuations, liability exposures, and regulatory compliance within a rapid changing market.

Having previously owned a retail insurance brokerage before joining HIB, he brings a unique perspective to fostering strong client relationships and understanding diverse client needs.

Outside of the office, you’ll often find John on a bike. He is an avid cyclist with an impressive 30 years in category one.

Cary Carpenter

Head of CRE Capital Markets, Trading & Syndication

Starwood Capital

Cary Carpenter is a Managing Director of commercial real estate, capital markets, trading and syndication at Starwood Property Trust. In this role, Mr. Carpenter is responsible for pricing, structuring and capital commitments for the acquisition and sale of CRE debt for Starwood Property Trust. He also manages the financing and sale of whole loans, as well as warehouse lines for the company.

Prior to joining Starwood Property Trust in 2010, Mr. Carpenter was a Partner at Coastal Capital Partners, where he managed the acquisition of performing, sub-performing and non-performing CRE debt. As an Executive Vice President with Countrywide Commercial Real Estate Finance, Cary was responsible for the pricing, structuring and sale of all fixed and floating rate high-yield commercial real estate debt. Before that, Mr. Carpenter served his initial stint at Coastal Capital Partners, where his responsibilities included client development and capital raising for third parties. Before that, he was a Managing Director for Precept Corp., an online marketplace for CRE financing, with responsibilities including business and product development, and capital raising. Prior to that, he was a Vice President of Structured Finance at Nomura Asset Capital, a Senior Consultant in Deloitte and Touche’s real estate capital markets group, an Assistant Treasurer in Toyo Trust and Bank’s real estate finance group, and a Project Designer for both The SWA Group and Sasaki Associates.

Cary received an M.S. in real estate development and finance from Columbia University, and a Bachelor of Landscape Architecture from Kansas State University.

Daniel Palmieri

Managing Director

KKR

Daniel Palmieri (Los Angeles) joined KKR in 2022 and is a member of the Real Estate Equity team. Mr. Palmieri oversees investment activity in the western region for the firm’s U.S. real estate funds. Prior to joining KKR, Mr. Palmieri spent ten years with Northwood Investors, where he focused on investments across asset types in the Western U.S. During his tenure, Mr. Palmieri was also responsible for investment activity and management of the company's mixed-use platform nationally. Prior to Northwood Investors, he began his career at CIM Group, working in the real estate and infrastructure groups. Mr. Palmieri graduated from the University of Southern California's Marshall School of Business. He is a member of Urban Land Institute (Urban Development & Mixed Use Council) and is an active member of the University of Washington's Runstad Advisory Board.

Ryan Kaplan

Managing Director, Real Estate

Goldman Sachs Asset Management

Ryan is a managing director in Real Estate within Goldman Sachs Asset Management, primarily responsible for the acquisition, asset management and disposition of commercial real estate equity investments. He also serves as an observer on the Asset & Wealth Management Private Real Estate Investment Committee. Ryan joined Goldman Sachs in 2013 as an associate and was named managing director in 2021.

Prior to joining the firm, Ryan was a manager at Healthpeak, a fully-integrated healthcare-focused real estate investment trust based in California, where he was focused on acquisitions. Prior to joining Healthpeak, he worked as an associate at UBS Investment Bank in the Global Healthcare Group.

Ryan earned a BA in Economics from Bucknell University in 2005.

Dara Friedman

Managing Director and Portfolio Manager

BentallGreenOak

Dara Friedman is a Managing Director and Portfolio Manager of the BentallGreenOak U.S. Core Plus Fund. In addition to her portfolio management responsibilities, she focuses on new product development efforts and U.S. acquisition strategies throughout the platform.

Dara joined the firm as Senior Vice President and Co-Portfolio Manager of the U.S. Strategic Value Fund from Morgan Stanley Real Estate Advisors in 2017. At Morgan Stanley, Dara executed over $2 billion of real estate acquisitions through various asset classes, including office, multifamily, nonperforming loans, land development, and hospitality.

Prior to Morgan Stanley, Dara was an investment associate within the Structured Finance Group at CapitalSource Finance and an analyst in the Real Estate Investment Banking Group at Banc of America Securities.

Dara holds an MBA from the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School and a bachelor’s degree in philosophy, politics, and economics from the University of Pennsylvania.

Cory Jubran

Senior Director, Originations

Nuveen Green

Cory is Senior Director, Originations, overseeing Nuveen Green Capital’s West Coast originations efforts in California, Nevada, Washington, Oregon, Alaska, and Montana.

Prior to joining Nuveen Green Capital, Cory was with Bank OZK (formerly Bank of the Ozarks), where he spent eight years as a team leader on the West Coast, originating over $6B of construction, bridge, and note financing for the commercial real estate market. In addition to being a top originator, Cory was selected to lead the Bank OZK associate training program, where training and mentoring commercial real estate professionals became a passion of his.

Cory also has lending experience from CIT and Arab Jordan Investment Bank, and he has accumulated over $7B in real estate transaction experience over the course of his career.

Cory received his bachelor’s degree in international studies from the University of California, San Diego. 

11:55 am - Interactive Panel: Future-Proofing Real Estate: Leveraging AI, Sustainability, and Proptech

Unlock the potential of AI, sustainability, and proptech to future-proof real estate investments. Explore how these innovations drive transformative change in decision-making, tenant experiences, and global investment, while steering the industry towards net-zero emissions by 2030. Gain insights on regulatory shifts, investor priorities, and strategies to seize emerging opportunities.

  • Proptech, Decarbonization, and Housing Affordability: Discover how proptech accelerates real estate decarbonization. Explore promising AI applications in CRE beyond data analytics and their potential to tackle housing affordability and sustainability challenges.
  • Investor Priorities, Regional Trends, and Evolving Regulations in Sustainability: Gain insights into how LPs leverage sustainability for decision-making, uncover current sustainability trends in CRE regions and sectors and learn actionable strategies to navigate evolving sustainability regulations effectively.
  • Enhancing Decision-Making, Tenant Experiences, and Global Investing: Uncover AI's role in enhancing decision-making and tenant experiences, AI's impact on global real estate investing and deal flows, drawing insights from successful implementations in CRE.

Matt Kaczmarek

Managing Director and Head of Private Debt Market Strategy & Sustainable Investing and Head of Los Angeles Office

BlackRock

Matt Kaczmarek, Managing Director, is Head of Private Debt Market Strategy and Sustainable Investing at BlackRock and co-head of BlackRock’s Los Angeles office. He leads a team responsible for innovation, expansion, and oversight of investment strategies, capabilities, and solutions to deliver the growing breadth of opportunities in private debt to global institutional and retail investors. The sustainable investing team brings BlackRock’s leadership in sustainable and transition investing to deliver innovative sustainable investment solutions, market-leading ESG integration, and technology-powered sustainability data and reporting. Matt also co-chairs the firm’s Out & Allies LGBTQ+ employee network in the Americas.

 

Prior to joining BlackRock, Matt held senior economic policy appointments in the White House under former U.S. President Obama and at the Departments of State and the Treasury. Matt has taught on the faculty of NYU’s Wagner School and advised eight major candidate and issue campaigns, including as chief economic policy advisor to a leading 2020 U.S. presidential campaign.

 

Matt serves on the board of directors of the UCLA Alumni Association, the campaign board of the national LGBTQ Victory Fund, and is a member of the Pacific Council on International Policy and the Council on Foreign Relations. Matt received his BA from the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), where he was president of the University of California Student Association, and MA from the Johns Hopkins University School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS), where he was editor-in-chief of the SAIS Review of International Affairs.

Jill Brosig

Chair of the Firm's Environmental, Social and Governance Committee

Harrison Street

Jill brings 14 years of industry experience to the Firm and is Chair of the Firm’s Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) Committee. As Senior Managing Director and Chief Impact Officer, she oversees the measurement, management, reporting and enhancement of the Firm’s ESG initiatives. Key areas of focus include climate risk and resiliency, carbon emissions reduction and human health and wellness. She is also a Co-chair of the Firm’s Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Committee.

Jill began in the environmental arena as a resident student associate where she was tasked with designing a closed gas system for a particle detector in order to eliminate the emissions of over four tons of Freon into the atmosphere every year. Her first job post-college was as an associate scientist studying inertial confinement fusion. Fusion, while far from commercially viable, could potentially become a clean energy source. There she worked in the department of material science’s cryogenics division and used holographic interferometry to determine how heavy hydrogen targets reacted to extremely low temperatures. This research led to improved alternative energy experimental results.

While at Harrison Street, she worked on the Galvin Electricity Initiative, which was a campaign to transform the United States power system into one that was reliable, efficient and clean. She was involved in ensuring this effort, which later became the Performance Excellence in Electricity Renewal (PEER) program was able to scale via acquisition from the U.S. Green Building Council.

Before joining the industry, Jill held positions at Motorola, Argonne National Laboratory and KMS Fusion, Inc. Jill holds several patents and publications, and was awarded Best Presentation at the annual MOOT CORP® Global Business Plan competition. She is a certified Six Sigma Master Black Belt.

Jill has a BS in Physics from the University of Illinois, an MSEE from The Ohio State University, and an MBA from Northwestern University.

Phoebe Van Tran

Principal

Impact Global Capital Partners

Phoebe currently serves as the Partner for Family Office Alpha, a global technology platform company that serves family office community. She is also an Advisor for Digital Evolution Institute (DEI), and an advisor for Freewill Capital FO. She is also the founder of the charity Sky9 Foundation- Love without Borders that build schools, bridges, houses for the poor in remote areas of Southeast Asia.

 

She has a diverse experience in all types of mortgage and projecting lending from bridge financing, construction loan, and commercial real estate private lending. Over the years, she has developed numerous valuable trust relationships with loyal clients, high net worth investors, and capital partner networks including private equity funds and family offices. Her clear communication and strong connections with the communities enables her to market the through a variety of exclusive family office platforms and network marketing. She also had extensive experience in recruiting, training, and coaching the sale team to consistently hit production goals.

 

Phoebe Van Tran is the coauthor of the #1 Amazon best selling book, “Powerful Female Immigrants.” She has 6 year of extensive experience in mortgage lending industry and real estate sale/investments with total over $900 millions funded loan volume. She specializes in negotiation and private capital lending. She is also the CEO and co-founder of Infinity Capital Lending. Infinity Capital Lending provides capital advisory services, private structured capital solutions to real estate developers and investors backed by private high net worth investors from both domestic and international capital sources.

Melissa Gutierrez-Sullivan

VP, Head of ESG

CIM Group

Chair of Board of Directors

USGBC California

Co-Founder

Green Network

Melissa Gutierrez-Sullivan serves as a Vice President, Head of Environmental, Social, and Governance at CIM Group®. In this position she is responsible for creating and maintaining a comprehensive ESG plan for CIM, setting related goals for the organization and managing ESG reporting and communication.

Prior to joining CIM, Ms. Gutierrez-Sullivan served as a Vice President of Cushman & Wakefield’s Global Occupier Services Sustainability and Wellness Practice, where she led the Southern California region and collaborated on a wide range of sustainability related programs. She also co-founded the Los Angeles-based Women in Green networking group.

Ms. Gutierrez-Sullivan earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in English Literature and Culture from University of California, Los Angeles. She is a LEED Accredited Professional, WELL Faculty, WELL Accredited Professional and a Fitwel Ambassador.

Rachel Davis

Senior Vice President of Partner Management and Originations

Petros PACE Finance

Rachel is based in Houston and is responsible for business development, marketing activities and managing a growing originations team.

She began her career at Reliant Energy, a Houston based provider of electricity and smart energy services. As a Marketing Manager, she spent 12 years working with customers and consultants managing commodity price risk through electricity contracts in Texas and the Northeast. Most recently, Rachel led a national business development team for NRG Energy, a Fortune 200 energy company, where along with her team, she pursued partnerships for onsite/offsite solar, wind, community solar, energy efficiency and combined heat and power systems with Fortune 500 clients. Additionally, she worked with strategic partner firms in the energy efficiency sector to develop and implement sales acquisition strategies for thermal energy storage and evaporative pre-cooling solutions for utility programs in California.

Rachel graduated with honors from Texas A&M University with a BBA in Marketing.

12:40 pm - Networking Lunch

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12:40pm - 1:40pm LUNCHEON WORKSHOP

Join a select group of your peers, to collectively discuss the most pressing issues facing the CRE sector today.

1:40 pm - Insider Perspectives: Keynote Fireside Interview featuring Justin Pattner & Farshad Morè

Join us for a 1x1 keynote fireside interview featuring Justin Pattner, Partner and Head of Real Estate Equity Americas at KKR, in conversation with Farshad Morè, Partner at Gibson Dunn. Get ready to delve into the minds of two seasoned industry leaders as they explore investment strategies, dissect market trends, and offer invaluable insights into the future landscape of real estate.

Interviewer

Farshad Morè

Partner

Gibson Dunn

Farshad Morè is a partner in Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher’s Century City office and is a member of the firm’s Real Estate Department. Mr. Morè’s real estate practice experience includes representation of opportunity and private equity funds, REITs, institutional and non-institutional real estate investors, developers and operators, lenders and borrowers in a broad range of matters, including acquisition, development, financing and disposition of commercial real estate of all asset types, including vacant land, hotels, residential, office, multi-family, retail and mixed-use buildings, shopping centers, and other commercial and residential properties throughout the United States; acquisition and disposition of debt instruments secured by, and equity interests in, real property; complex construction, permanent, securitized, mezzanine, preferred equity and participating financing, including Shari’ah-compliant financings and financings under the EB-5 Investor program; forming and representing joint ventures, limited liability companies, general and limited partnerships, and negotiating joint venture agreements for operating and capital partners; ground leasing and ground leasehold financing. Additionally, Mr. Morè routinely advises and represents clients in connection with restructuring and “work-outs” of existing financing, as well as uniform commercial code and real estate foreclosures.

Keynote Speaker

Justin Pattner

Partner & Head, Real Estate Equity Americas

KKR

Justin Pattner (San Francisco) joined KKR in 2011 to help form KKR's Real Estate Platform. He is the Head of Real Estate Equity in the Americas and oversees all aspects of the business, including acquisitions, asset management and fundraising. He sits on KKR's Real Estate Investment and Portfolio Management Committees across both Equity and Credit products in the Americas. Prior to joining KKR, Mr. Pattner was at Eton Park Capital Management where he focused on real estate and real estate related opportunities. Prior to Eton Park, he worked at Lehman Brothers in the real estate private equity group (LBREP) as well as at Lubert Adler Partners. Mr. Pattner graduated magna cum laude from the University of Pennsylvania where he received a B.A. in Economics. Mr. Pattner is currently a member of the Urban Land Institute and the Fisher Center's Policy Advisory Board.

2:00 pm - Executive Exchanges

Join your peers for a series of lively and interactive discussions on the most pressing topics you are facing today. The small group format will enable you to make meaningful connections and come up with out-of-the-box solutions to shared challenges.

 

 

A: Strategic Tax Planning in Commercial Real Estate: What You Need to Know About Upcoming Changes and Tax Policy

Explore tax strategies pivotal to maximizing returns, tax-efficiency and navigating complexities in commercial real estate. Gain insights into the evolving landscapes of pending tax law changes and policies, including 1031 exchanges, carried interest, capital gains and other key topics amidst regulatory changes and market dynamics. 

Discussion Points:

  • Pending and proposed changes in tax laws that impact commercial real estate
  •  Techniques for leveraging 1031 exchanges to defer taxes, enhance investment liquidity, and maximize tax advantages.
  • Analysis of current tax implications and potential reforms affecting carried interest and investment fund structures.
  • Overview of proposed changes to capital gains tax rates and implications for CRE investors.

Sal LaViña

Real Estate Department Chair

Barnes & Thornburg LLP

Business lawyer and trusted adviser Sal LaViña, the firm's Real Estate department chair, closes complex transactions and provides strategic advice to his many successful clients. With more than three decades of experience, Sal serves as a battle-tested leader who listens attentively and executes swiftly client objectives, whether closing a multistate marquee deal or a fixing a local problem.

Clients turn to Sal for guidance with their deal ventures and he has closed or supervised transactions totaling nearly $15 billion dollars over the past decade. He is a skilled negotiator and communicator, and has deep experience in virtually all areas of real estate, including acquisitions and sales, joint ventures, multifamily transactions, 1031 exchanges, real estate fund formation, development and construction, public-private and multistate matters.

 

In the corporate realm, Sal focuses on capital raising, fund formation, syndications and private placements, infrastructure, mid-market mergers and acquisitions, and stock and asset transactions. Sal also counsels clients on workouts, crisis management, business “divorces” and negotiations, and investor and LLC disputes. He is an invited guest speaker throughout the business community on real estate, finance, forecasting and business development topics.

 

Prior to joining Barnes & Thornburg, Sal led law firms and businesses alike. After law school, he spent several years at O’Melveny & Myers, followed by serving as managing partner in a business law firm, as well as general counsel and a partner in a real estate development company. He is a licensed California broker and works on his own deals. Sal knows, from first-hand experience, the pressures clients face running a business and brings this sensitivity to his practice at every turn.

 

Prior to the law, Sal worked as a reporter for the Los Angeles Daily Journal. This experience taught him early on to be concise, and writing headlines back then taught him to articulate bottom lines today for clients. Sal remains dedicated to meeting even the tightest deadlines while processing complicated information under pressure.

B: Utilizing Private Equity Funds in Land Banking Opportunities

  • Innovative financing structures to meet the demand for housing
  • Preserve liquidity and long term investment benefits with land banking transactions
  • Flexibility and defense against market risks

 

Douglas A. Praw

Partner

Holland & Knight

Douglas A. Praw - is a partner in Holland & Knight's Los Angeles and Century City offices and serves as the West Coast Real Estate Practice Group Leader. His practice focuses on commercial real estate, including the representation of public and private REITs, public companies, commercial banks, hedge funds, private equity groups, educational institutions, and family office investors in connection with the acquisition, sale, development, leasing, ground leasing, and financing of a variety of asset classes, including office buildings, mixed-use projects, hotels, sports and entertainment districts, medical office buildings, multifamily and residential developments, industrial parks and retail centers. He also provides strategic advice on various public financing and public infrastructure projects.

 

For his extensive experience in a wide range of real estate and public finance matters, Mr. Praw has been selected for inclusion in Chambers USA: America's Leading Lawyers for Business and has been recognized as one of the top "40 Under 40" most successful and youngest stars of the Southern California real estate industry. Mr. Praw has also written articles published in American City & County magazine, Water Impact, The California Real Estate Journal, Western Real Estate Business and Builder and Developer.

C: The Future of Multifamily Real Estate

  • Why will multifamily continue to be an attractive asset class in the long run?
  • How to be successful in multifamily investing in today's uncertain market?
  • Common pitfalls, risks, and lessons learned from past experiences.

Zihao Wang

CEO/Principal

Motiva Holdings

Zihao Wang is the Founder and CEO of Motiva Holdings, a real estate private equity firm that specializes in lower middle-market multifamily investments across the US. At MH, Zihao manages over $0.5B AUM and leads the acquisition and development processes, ensuring that each investment aligns with the firm's strategic vision and delivers optimal returns for investors. 

Zihao attended MIT and is actively involved in the Urban Land Institute (ULI), National Multifamily Housing Council (NMHC), and other real estate associations.

3:30 pm - Interactive Panel: Breaking Through: How to Secure Capital Amid Record Lows & Mega-Fund Dominance

Learn directly from industry experts as they share actionable strategies to secure capital in today's competitive landscape and discover how to thrive as a smaller fund amidst market giants, align fundraising strategies with economic trends, capitalize on distressed markets, and reignite lending activity. 

  • Surviving Mega-Fund Dominance: How can smaller funds compete in a market where a few giants attract nearly half of all capital commitments?
  • Economic Forecasting for Success: What economic trends should drive your fundraising strategy for 2025? Learn how to align with lender dynamics and seize the best lending opportunities.
  • Capitalizing on Market Distress: Amidst a surge in foreclosures, where are the untapped opportunities for growth and expansion?
  • Revitalizing Lending & Mobilizing Equity: What's holding back banks from lending, and when will equity get back in the game? Gain actionable insights to reignite lending activity and mobilize dormant equity.

 

 

Moderator

Allison H. Kidd

Partner

Gibson Dunn

Allison H. Kidd is a partner in the San Francisco office of Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher, and a member of the firm’s Real Estate Practice Group. Allison’s practice includes a wide variety of commercial real estate transactions. She represents private equity funds, institutional and non-institutional real estate investors, REITs, developers and operators in all areas of real estate, including acquisitions, permanent and construction financing (mortgage and mezzanine), joint ventures, dispositions and work-outs.

Kenya Williams

Managing Director Real Estate

Oaktree Capital Management

Ms. Williams is a managing director and product specialist for Oaktree’s Real Estate strategies. She also oversees the real estate product specialist team. In these capacities, Ms. Williams and her team are responsible for various aspects of real estate product marketing, investor relations and product development. Prior to joining Oaktree in 2021, Ms. Williams was a managing partner and owner responsible for business development, finance and operations for Uncomn Projects, a real estate focused marketing and consulting company. Prior thereto, she was with J.P. Morgan Chase as an executive director in real estate banking. Before that, Ms. Williams was with PNC Bank as a senior vice president and California market manager for real estate banking. Ms. Williams began her career with Wells Fargo as a vice president and relationship manager in the real estate group. Ms. Williams received a B.S. in business administration with a concentration in real estate finance from the University of Southern California.

Justin Chausse

Managing Director

Invesco Real Estate

Justin Chausse is a Managing Director with Invesco Real Estate. In this role, he is responsible for sourcing and structuring senior and mezzanine loans across all property types for the commercial real estate credit lines of business with a primary focus on the Western Region. Justin began his investment career in 2006 and joined Invesco Real Estate in 2020. Prior to joining IRE, Justin was a senior vice president on the originations team at Starwood Property Trust (“STWD”), first based in New York City and later in Los Angeles, where for seven years he sourced and underwrote prospective commercial lending opportunities, as well as analyzed acquiring sub-performing and performing commercial real estate loan portfolios and securities. Prior to STWD, while in graduate school in Washington, D.C., he worked at Beacon Capital Partners, focusing on asset management. Justin started his career in the real estate industry working at Anglo Irish Bank in Boston for four years, initially focusing on analyzing commercial property acquisitions and senior loan originations, and later focusing on capital stack restructurings and loan workouts. Justin earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from Providence College and a Master of Business Administration from the McDonough School of Business at Georgetown University.

Avneet Kaur

Managing Partner

Core Family Office

Avneet Kaur is a Managing Partner of Core Investment Capital, a Los Angeles-based investment firm that specializes in real estate and other alternative investments. She is also a Co-Founder of Core Family Office, a virtual family office that provides comprehensive financial services to clients.

Avneet grew up in India in a military family with a long history of service. She moved to the United States as a high school student and graduated from UCLA with honors. After weathering the Wall Street meltdown while working at Lehman Brothers in 2008, she returned to Los Angeles and started her own business at the age of 28.

In addition to her work at Core Investment Capital, Avneet is also a Co-Founder and CFO of Core Family Office, a virtual family office that provides a wide range of financial services to clients, including wealth and retirement advising, commercial and residential real estate investment and sales, insurance, tax planning, mortgages, financing, lending, private and hard money, and business advisory.

With her extensive experience in the financial industry, Avneet is a sought-after speaker and commentator on topics related to investing and finance. She is also actively involved in philanthropic work, supporting a number of charities and non-profit organizations in the Los Angeles area.

David Pringle

Executive Director

Morgan Stanley

David Pringle is an Executive Director at Morgan Stanley Real Estate Investing (MSREI) and leads acquisitions efforts for the Western US. Prior to Morgan Stanley, Mr. Pringle was a Director at GTIS Partners, where he was based in New York and was responsible for sourcing, analyzing, underwriting and diligencing investment opportunities primarily for the firm's US business. Previously, Mr. Pringle was a Senior Analyst in the Real Estate Principal Investment Area (REPIA) at Goldman Sachs, based in London. Prior to Goldman Sachs, Mr. Pringle was an Analyst at Citigroup in the firm's Global Capital Markets division, based in London. Mr. Pringle received an M.B.A. from The Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania, and a B.A. in International Relations from Stanford University.

4:10 pm - Unlocking Global Opportunities: Fortress Investment Group's $55 Billion Strategy and Insights - Keynote Fireside Interview

Join Philip Rosen and Steven Stuart for a compelling keynote fireside interview with Fortress Investment Group, a global investment powerhouse with over $55 billion in assets under management. Fortress, known for its innovative approach and extensive market reach, has been a key player in real estate investing for over 25 years. Stuart will share insights into how Fortress leverages data analytics and artificial intelligence to identify and capitalize on high-value markets.. The discussion will highlight Fortress’s strategic management of a diverse portfolio spanning over 30 countries and their proactive approach to mitigating risks in volatile markets. Gain exclusive insights into Fortress’s commitment to ESG criteria and its impact on shaping the future of real estate investments. Don’t miss this opportunity to enhance your investment approach with insights from one of the industry’s most influential firms.

Moderator

Philip Rosen

Partner

Weil, Gotshal & Manges LLP

Philip Rosen is Co-Head of the Firm’s Real Estate practice and the Firm’s Infrastructure practice. Philip is a leading authority in the mergers and acquisitions of real estate companies, both public and private and both as part of restructurings and not. He is also one of the top real estate finance lawyers and has long been considered one of the leading lawyers in the debt restructuring space. He is one of the top private equity lawyers in the property arena, representing numerous private equity and hedge funds and institutions in their larger and more complicated transactions. Philip also has a top reputation in a broad spectrum of other transaction areas, including real estate investment trusts, joint ventures and property and debt portfolio acquisitions. He also heads the Firm’s renowned hospitality and gaming practices. Finally, he is one of the country’s leading authorities on doing business in the Middle East.

 

Philip is recognized as a leading lawyer for Real Estate: Corporate in New York by Chambers USA, where he is described as “unbelievably experienced…a smart, sophisticated lawyer” and “a master negotiator with great relationships.” He has also been recognized as “a great adviser and a highly respected figure” and described as a “world class lawyer” with “an understanding of the markets and a good grasp of the business repercussions in addition to the legal ramifications” in Chambers USA. Philip is recognized as a “Notable Practitioner” for Real Estate Acquisitions and Real Estate Finance in the U.S. by IFLR1000. He is also recommended for Real Estate and REITs by Legal 500 US and has been designated a “Best Lawyer” for Real Estate Law in New York by Best Lawyers in America and a New York Super Lawyer since 2006. Philip was named a 2017 Real Estate “MVP” by Law360 noting his successes in major real estate transactions. Additionally, he has been recognized as a leading lawyer based abroad for Corporate/M&A in Israel by Chambers Global.

 

Philip serves as an Adjunct Professor at the Sy Syms School of Business at Yeshiva University, where he is teaching a course entitled “Titans of Real Estate.” He is a member of the Board of Trustees of Yeshiva University in New York, Vice-Chairman of the Board of Directors of Yeshiva College in New York and Vice Chairman of the Board of Directors of Birthright Israel Foundation. In 2018, he received an honorary doctorate from Yeshiva University.

Keynote Speaker

Steven Stuart

Managing Director

Fortress Investment Group

Steve Stuart is a Managing Director at Fortress Investment Group and is Head of New Business Origination for the Credit and Real Estate team.  Mr. Stuart was one of the partners who started this business in 2002.  In addition, he started a Fortress sponsored PE firm and returned to Fortress as a partner in 2016.  Prior to Fortress, he worked in the real estate groups at Deutsche Bank and Goldman Sachs, where he started his career in 1986 working in several areas of asset-based financing and securitization including loan pool purchases from banks, insurance companies and the RTC.

4:30 pm - Chairperson Closing Remarks

4:45 pm - Cocktail Reception

6:00 pm - Invitation Only Dinner