September 2, 2022

Schack Institute Alumni Spotlight: Jason Youngsoo Park

A native of South Korea, Jason Youngsoo Park graduated from the NYU SPS Schack Institute of Real Estate with an MS in Real Estate in 2017. He is the Asia Pacific director at Rexmark, a real estate investment firm headquartered in New York City, where he runs overseas alternative investments and asset management. The company leverages its extensive real estate expertise, comprehensive market knowledge, and broad network of relationships to source, underwrite, and execute transactions.

Park has more than 15 years of diversified experience as an investment manager, CRE loan underwriter, and asset manager. Previously, he served as an alternative investment manager at IBK Securities, KTB Asset Management, Savills in South Korea, and Savills in New York. He also served as a sergeant in the US Army, was named Soldier of the Year, and was awarded the Army Commendation Medal from the US Army in South Korea.

What has your journey been like after graduating from NYU SPS?
I returned home after graduation to help South Koreans make investments in the US, mainly in New York but throughout the global gateway cities. South Koreans have been among the most active investors in the US in the last decade. The investment sector is diversified in office, multifamily, logistics, and retail. As Rexmark grows its business with Korean investors, I opened its Asia office in Korea in 2021 and currently manage over $2 billion investments.

What is your current role at Rexmark?
As the Asia Pacific director, I oversee the company’s daily operations, manage reputation in general, and find new businesses with new clients. My key role is managing client relationships and communication between my Asian clients and my US office. Having a trustworthy relationship with clients is critical when we provide daily asset management services or raise new capital for new investments. I am looking to expand my role with different Asian investors.

What does a typical workday look like for you?
I have around 50 clients on my client list. I frequently talk with my clients and my US partners to share investment strategies and market updates. Due to the language barrier and cultural differences, it is especially important for me to be a perfect communication channel. I translate when we have a zoom call, and I assist clients through all aspects of the deal process and with asset management services. As a foreign investor, it is important to check the currency markets to hedge against currency fluctuations when we make overseas investments. Working in two different time zones (with a 14-hour difference), I meet with clients and conduct market/asset analyses during the day, and talk to my NY headquarters early morning or late at night.

What are you passionate about in the work that you do?
I was thrilled to experience the life cycle of real estate during my 17-year career in the real estate industry while working as a property manager, investment/divestment broker, loan underwriter, and asset manager. I am still passionate about expanding my horizons to different real estate sectors. As I build credibility with my clients and grow my client relationships one by one, I feel a great sense of achievement.

In what ways has your NYU SPS experience had an impact on your career and shaped who you are today?
Experiencing NYU is like experiencing New York real estate itself. The New York real estate market is the biggest and the most advanced in the world. Learning from NYU SPS professors who know what skills are needed in today’s market enabled me to understand how I should position myself in this sector. As most of the classes are scheduled at night, I interned at three different companies in the daytime, including Cornerstone Real Estate Advisors, where I learned different market research tools and in-depth investment analysis skills. I used that experience in Korea to invest in 10 assets with values of more than $5 billion.

What career advice would you give to NYU students?
Get counseling from the alumni in the market. You are in New York, and your alumni are everywhere. Understanding your background, talent, and career goals, they can give you good guidance on the skill sets you need to succeed. Learn half from the school and half from the market. Meet people and find out what you can do for them rather than what you need from them. The New York business world is like a war in the jungle. You need to understand it from Day 1 and keep challenging yourself.


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