THE 4TH ANNUAL WOMEN IN REAL ESTATE SYMPOSIUM - VIDEO GALLERY

The NYU School of Professional Studies (NYU SPS) Schack Institute of Real Estate hosted the 4th Annual National Symposium of Women in Real Estate (WiRE) on Wednesday, October 6, 2021, at the New York Hilton Midtown, at which Keia Clarke ‘06, CEO, New York Liberty, was the featured speaker.

The Symposium convened women in senior leadership roles in real estate leasing, finance, and construction, along with key players in government and city planning for an in-depth discussion on the outlook for the real estate market and the forces shaping property investment, financing, and development.

Monies raised from the Symposium support the Women in Real Estate Scholarship Fund and academic programs for graduate and undergraduate students at the NYU SPS Schack Institute of Real Estate.

Three influential women in real estate served as the Symposium chairs: Laurie Golub, chief operating officer & senior managing director, Square Mile Capital; Joanne M. Minieri, senior executive vice president & chief operating officer, RXR Development Services and RXR Construction Services, RXR Realty; and Darcy Stacom, chairman and head of NYC Capital Markets, CBRE.

 

Welcome and Introduction

Wednesday, October 6, 2021

Sam Chandan, PhD, FRICS, Larry & Klara Silverstein Chair in Real Estate Development & Investment & associate dean, NYU SPS Schack Institute of Real Estate, kicked off the WiRE Symposium, the first major SPS on-site, post-pandemic industry event, at the New York Hilton on October 6. He talked about the state of the real estate industry, the origins of the WiRE Symposium, and the challenges and opportunities ahead. Laurie Golub, chief operating officer and senior managing director of Square Mile Capital, and co-chair of the Symposium, followed Dean Chandan. In her remarks, she compared the on-site gathering to the Beatles’ song “Here Comes the Sun,” after the months-long isolation of the pandemic.


Panel I: Leasing

Wednesday, October 6, 2021

(From l to r) Nina Roket, real estate partner at Olshan Frome Wolosky, moderated a discussion on leasing trends with Ramneek Rikhy, senior vice president at CBRE Consulting Group; Megan Sheehan, managing director, leasing Tishman Speyer; and Kathe Kramer Chase, partner and director of leasing at Industry City. They discussed their leasing portfolios; the challenges faced by owners and tenants during the pandemic; and robust leasing activity from tech, financial, and professional service firms.


Fireside Chat I

Wednesday, October 6, 2021

At the 4th Annual National Symposium of Women in Real Estate, hosted by the NYU SPS Schack Institute of Real Estate, on October 6 at the New York Hilton, Darcy Stacom (l), chairman and head of NYC Capital Markets, CBRE led a fireside chat with Joanne M. Minieri, senior executive vice president & chief operating officer, RXR Development Services and RXR Construction Services, RXR Realty. Minieri spoke about her life growing up in a family that emphasized the importance of education, as well as her career journey in the real estate industry. Stacom presented her with the WiRE Leadership Award.


Panel II: Finance

Wednesday, October 6, 2021

The finance panel featured (from l to r) Christine O’Connell, partner at King & Spalding, and panel moderator; Abbe Franchot Borok, managing director, head of US debt, BentallGreenOak; Jillian Mariutti-Nieder, senior director, JLL; & Lisa Paterson Simonetti, managing director, US credit, Oak Hill Advisors. They discussed the role the pandemic played in the outcomes of fewer transactions and less financing in 2020. This year, however, has seen a return to liquidity in the debt and equity markets, as well as plenty of capital for all asset classes.


Panel III: Government

Wednesday, October 6, 2021

Melanie Meyers (l), real estate partner at Fried Frank, moderated the government panel with (second l to r) Pamela M. Frederick, chief financial officer at Battery Park City Authority; Edith Hsu-Chen, director of Manhattan office at the NYC Dept. of City Planning; and Rachel Loeb, president and chief executive officer at NYC Economic Development Corp. The panelists discussed their public sector roles in establishing, implementing, and overseeing development and land-use policies in New York City, and their resiliency and sustainability efforts.


Panel IV: Deal Structuring

Wednesday, October 6, 2021

The deal structuring panel included (l to r) moderator Farah S. Ahmed, shareholder at Greenberg Traurig; Sarah Hawkins, chief executive officer, US East Region, Hines; Sara B. Queen, managing director and head of real estate equity at MetLife Investment Management; and Hilary Spann, executive vice president at Boston Properties. The panelists discussed how real estate deals come together, the different components, and the typical life cycle of a deal, and how deals are capitalized and marketed.


Fireside Chat II

Wednesday, October 6, 2021

Darcy Stacom (l), chairman and head of NYC Capital Markets, CBRE, spoke with Laurie Golub, COO & senior managing director of Square Mile Capital, about her family life and her evolving career trajectory—she began her career as an attorney prior to moving into real estate development. Golub explained that the character, which has led to her success throughout her career, has been her strong work ethic.


Panel V: Construction

Wednesday, October 6, 2021

The construction panel featured (l to r) Sabrina Kanner, executive vice president, development, design and construction, at Brookfield Properties; Linda Chiarelli, senior vice president, capital projects & facilities at NYU; Mariana Circuimaru, head of US construction - value add portfolio and principal for development & construction, at BentallGreenOak Real Estate; and Linda Foggie, executive vice president, East USA leader, Americas head of corporate occupier, at Turner & Townsend. The discussion focused on new practices in the design and planning of buildings and interior spaces in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic.


Featured Speaker

Wednesday, October 6, 2021

Keia Clarke, the CEO of New York Liberty, was the featured speaker at the WiRE Symposium. During her remarks, she talked about playing basketball as a youth, which enabled her to become a team player, but also allowed her to observe the disparities of the game between men’s and women’s sports teams. That experience motivated her to earn an MS in Sports Business in 2006 from the NYU SPS Preston Robert Tisch Institute for Global Sport, and eventually led to her career at the WNBA. She spoke about women in leadership roles and noted her desire for WiRE panelists and attendees to continue to play an active role in elevating women in the workplace.