In-Person Fireside Chat: How to Win in Real Estate with Scott Rechler, CEO & Chairman at RXR Realty

Scott Rechler is the Chief Executive Officer and Chairman of RXR, an innovative investor, developer, and place-maker committed to applying a customer and community-centered approach to all aspects of its business.

Before starting RXR, Scott served as the Chair and CEO of Reckson Associates, which he helped take public in 1995. RXR was founded in 2007, on the day after Scott and his partners sold Reckson Associates for over $6 billion, generating a 700% return to Reckson’s investors. Since its founding, RXR has raised over $10 billion of private equity through a series of funds and separate account vehicles and built an over 500-person, fully-integrated team of professionals with expertise in operations, construction and development, investment management, and more.

RXR manages over 30 million square feet of commercial properties with a gross asset value of $21.2 billion. RXR also has a multi-family residential portfolio of 8,000 units under operation or development, an over $4 billion new terminal under construction at JFK International Airport, and an expanding national portfolio and development pipeline in some of the fastest-growing markets in the country, including Phoenix, Denver, Raleigh, and Tampa.

In addition to his role at RXR, Scott currently serves as Vice Chair on the Board of Directors for View, Inc. (NASDAQ:VIEW), for which RXR recently led a $200 million investment. View, a manufacturer of dynamic glass, is a leader in smart building technologies that transform buildings to prioritize wellness while reducing energy consumption and carbon emissions. View’s smart windows use artificial intelligence to adjust automatically in response to outdoor conditions, eliminating the need for blinds and increasing access to natural light. The company also develops leading software tools that digitize the built environment.

Scott also served on the Board of American Campus Communities (NASDAQ:ACC) after Reckson took a controlling interest in the company in 1998 and later took the company public in 2004. ACC would grow to become the largest student housing company in the United States and was recently acquired by Blackstone for $13 billion in 2022.

Scott has held numerous leadership positions at various levels of government. In December 2021, Scott was elected to a 3-year term on the Board of Directors of the Federal Reserve Bank of New York. From 2011 to 2016, Scott served on the Board of Commissioners as Vice Chairman for the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey. He later served on the Board of the New York Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) from 2017 to 2019.

From 2017 to 2023, Scott served as the Chair of the Regional Plan Association (RPA), a not-for-profit organization focused on the quality of life and the economic competitiveness of the NY Tri-State metropolitan area.

Scott also serves as trustee and Vice Chair of the National September 11 Memorial and Museum at the World Trade Center, a member of the Real Estate Board of New York (REBNY) and the national organization, the Real Estate Roundtable (RER), Chair of The Feinstein Institute for Medical Research and a member of the Board of Trustees at Northwell Health, the Hospital for Special Surgery and a member of the NYU Real Estate Institute Advisory Committee, and the Board of the Drum Major Institute.

Scott is a graduate of Clark University and the New York University Schack Institute.

Scott is married to Debby Rechler and is the proud father of Gabrielle, Elijah, and Tyrone.

Michael Werner is Deputy Co-Chair of Fried Frank’s Real Estate Department. He represents owners, developers, funds, real estate investment trusts (REITs), and other financial institutions in all aspects of commercial real estate transactions.

Mike has worked on many of the industry’s highest-profile transactions. Clients seek his innovative representation in the acquisition, development, and disposition of office, hotel, retail, and multifamily properties; joint ventures; commercial mortgage, mezzanine, and construction financings; preferred equity investments and debt restructurings; ground leases; and commercial space leasing.

Mike is actively involved in real estate industry current affairs and is regularly asked to speak on industry topics. Over the past year, he moderated the panels “The State of CRE: Lessons Learned from a Pivotal Year As We Head Into 2024,” at Commercial Observer’s Fall State of CRE Forum, and “The Mega Trends & Asset Classes Paving the Road to Stabilization” at Commercial Observer’s Spring State of CRE Forum. He has also been a guest lecturer on real estate valuation at NYU’s Schack Institute of Real Estate, and lectured at Columbia University’s Graduate School of Architecture, Planning and Preservation.

Mike is recognized by Chambers and Partners in Band 3 of the Real Estate section, where clients note that his “ability to help solve issues and get to the finish line make him invaluable to our firm.” He is also recognized by Legal 500 in Real Estate, and Crain’s New York Business named him a 2021 Notable in Real Estate, which honors individuals with a major impact on the New York City real estate industry.

Dedicated to a sense of collaboration and inclusivity regarding the next generation of our colleagues, Michael is a member of our Attorney Development Committee.

Throughout his career, Peter has been a part of defining and at times, redefining the New York City skyline. He has led transformative projects in New York’s most pivotal moments from the rebuilding of Downtown after 9/11 to the redefining of Midtown west by way of the Hudson Yards development and other new developments across New York City. Many of his transactions are ranked as New York’s largest and most complex, including some of the only transactions completed during the pandemic.

As Chairman and President, Peter additionally co-leads JLL’s Tri-State region, with responsibility for 2,700 professionals across seven offices. An innovative leader, Peter has been instrumental in shifting JLL from the traditional brokerage model to an advisory model, similar to the function of an investment bank. That new ethos and dedication to deep, strategic relationships with investor and occupier clients, along with recruitment of top talent in key disciplines, and investments in new technology and services catapulted JLL to the market leader in the New York Metropolitan area. Since Peter joined JLL, the company has more than quadrupled market share, revenue and increased profitability substantially.

Peter followed his late father Edward Riguardi into the business at GVA Williams Real Estate in 1983, forming their own firm Colliers ABR Inc (now Colliers International) in 1994, before Peter joined JLL in 2002.

Peter resides in the Flatiron District of New York. In addition to real estate, Peter is a partner in a wine and olive oil business, located in Mirabella, Italy. Peter is also a partner with Peak Real Estate, a multifamily investment and operating company in New York City. A baseball enthusiast, Peter is also part owner of Baseball America, the leading research paper for the sport.

Dean J. Shapiro is Senior Vice President and Head of US Development for Oxford Properties. In this capacity, Dean is responsible for leading a 25-member team executing on major US projects including St. John’s Terminal in NYC; an array of life sciences projects in Boston, SF and Seattle; and Hudson Yards (as co-developer), the largest private development in US history.

Diego Hodara is the founder and CEO of Titanium Realty Group, a real estate investment and development company focused on mix-use and residential real estate assets in the metropolitan area of New York.

Titanium Realty Group has close to 2,000 under development or completed units in Jersey City NJ and Port Chester NY, representing a total development cost of more than 700 million dollars. The projects are mainly mix-used ground-up buildings ranging from 50 to 400 units per building. Prior to founding Titanium Realty Group, Diego was involved as a senior manager in several large scale
developments including ground-up projects not only in the NYC but also in Latin America such as Sheraton Hotel in Montevideo Uruguay, a 25 story building with post-tension concrete slab system.

Diego holds a Master’s degree in Real Estate Finance and Investment from NYU. He also holds a degree in Architecture and Urban Planning, and an MBA from the University of Uruguay. He is an Academy Board Member and Professor at ORT University in Uruguay for the Real Estate Certificate program. He is also a Board Member of Jersey City Apartment Owners Association and a Member at Urban Land Institute.

Eric Hadar is the co-founder, Chairman and CEO of Allied Partners, one of the industry’s most successful real estate investment, development, and asset management companies with a portfolio of irreplaceable assets. Hadar’s leadership over the last three decades is about more than just building an impressive asset portfolio — it’s a bigger vision.

Eric understands that projects must focus not only on servicing the lifestyle needs of today’s customers — retailers, commercial or residential tenants, consumers, hotel guests — but also on adding sustainable value and building a sense of community around those projects.

Allied has earned a reputation of excellence and innovation by bringing hands-on management and creative solutions to the most complex industry challenges. Since its founding in 1993, Allied has become synonymous with vision, stewardship, and trust.
Eric believes, “Success is not a zero-sum game: success can — and must — be mutually beneficial. To customers, employees, and our community. When people work together, 1+1 = 3.”
But real estate is only one of Eric’s passions. A lifelong philanthropist, Hadar is focusing his time and resources to help provide the tools necessary for people to find success, leading independent, fulfilling, and longer lives.

Jeffrey Gural is Chairman of GFP Real Estate LLC. GFP Real Estate LLC has an ownership interest in 41 properties, almost all of which are located in Manhattan. Mr. Gural, along with his son, Eric Gural and nephew, Brian Steinwurtzel are responsible for all future acquisitions and the managing and leasing of the 10 Million square feet that they have an ownership interest in.

Mr. Gural joined Newmark Knight Frank in 1972, and served as Chairman until 2017, after which he became Chairman Emeritus. Prior to that, Mr. Gural was a member of the staff of Morse-Diesel Construction Co., for approximately six years where he was responsible for the supervision and construction of more than one million square feet of new office space in such notable buildings as 437 Madison Avenue and 645 Madison Avenue.

Mr. Gural is a member of the Board of Directors of The Real Estate Board of New York;
President of the enCourage Kids Foundation; Chairman of “I Have a Dream Foundation – NY”and Co-Sponsor of the Chelsea-Elliot “I Have a Dream” Project; former Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Times Square Alliance; member of the Board of Trustees of The New School; Chair of the Board of Governors for Eugene Lang College The New School for Liberal Arts; Chairman of the Board of Directors for Alliance of Resident Theatres/New York; Vice President of The Broadway Association; member of the Board of Directors of the Museum at Eldridge Street; member of the Board of Directors of the Statue of Liberty Foundation; member of the Board of the Settlement Housing Fund; member of the Board of Directors of New York City Outward Bound Schools; member of the NYC Board of Directors for the March of Dimes and
President of The Realty Foundation of New York. Mr. Gural is a member of the UJA-Federation, Executive Committee. Both Jeff and his father, Aaron Gural, were honored at the organization’s 1995 Annual Luncheon.

As a sideline, Mr. Gural is a major owner and breeder of Standardbred racehorses and has two farms in Upstate New York and Northern Pennsylvania. Mr. Gural owns a casino in Upstate New York; Tioga Downs and a racino at Vernon Downs. Mr. Gural is also Managing Partner of New Meadowlands Racetrack LLC, which is the current lessee and operator of the New Meadowlands Racetrack. The Meadowlands recently opened a new $120 Million grandstand which is a state of the art new facility.
Mr. Gural is a graduate of Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, with a degree in Civil Engineering.

He is married, has three grown children, six grandchildren and resides in Manhattan.

Laurent Morali was born in France in 1975. He was working at Crédit Lyonnais in 2006 and began to work with Kushner when they were closing on their purchase of 666 Fifth Avenue. Morali switched over to Kushner Companies in 2008, starting as head of acquisitions and capital markets. In 2016, Morali was named as president of the company shortly before Kushner Chief Executive Officer Jared Kushner left the company to take a role in the Trump administration. Morali was at the helm of the company as it sold a 99-year lease on 666 Fifth Avenue to Brookfield; been behind major acquisitions in South Florida, as well as the purchase of 6,500 apartments in the mid-Atlantic; and led the construction of Kushner’s Journal Square project in Jersey City. Morali lives with his wife and three sons on the Upper West Side of Manhattan and plays electric guitar.

Max Herzog is an established real estate professional with over two decades of industry experience. His expertise spans in arranging permanent, bridge, construction, mezzanine, and joint venture equity financing for an array of asset classes, including multifamily, industrial, retail, office, hospitality, single tenant, and land. Prior to joining IPA Capital Markets, Max served as a Senior Managing Director at JLL. Max has completed billions of financing transactions over his career which has included some of the largest and most high-profile projects in New York City, Chicago and many other major markets across the US.

Max is a member of REBNY and was named a top broker under 30 and 35 years old several times. Max graduated from Vanderbilt University, completing his Bachelor of Science degree with honors, and achieved his Master of Real Estate from New York University's Schack Institute of Real Estate.

Andrew Cohen joined IPA Capital Markets in 2023 and focuses on the execution of debt and equity transactions through rigorous analysis and underwriting, and the identification of optimal sources of capital. Over the course of his career, Andrew has successfully executed billions of dollars in transactions across senior permanent financing, bridge financing, subordinate financing (mezzanine debt and preferred equity), and joint venture equity across various real estate asset classes. Additionally, Andrew has participated in and executed numerous UCC foreclosures and loan sale transactions. Andrew’s expertise spans across virtually every asset class, and he has worked in markets throughout the country.

Prior to joining IPA Capital Markets, Andrew served as an Associate at JLL on the NYC Capital Markets team for over four years. Andrew holds a bachelor’s degree in political science from The George Washington University and is an active member of the graduate alumni program of the Center for Real Estate & Urban Analysis (CREUA).

Max Hulsh joined IPA Capital Markets in 2023 and specializes in the execution of real estate finance transactions including conducting upfront underwriting and analysis and placing debt and equity. With billions of dollars in completed transactions, Max’s expertise spans senior permanent financing, bridge financing, subordinate financing (mezzanine debt and preferred equity), and joint venture equity across various real estate asset classes including industrial, multifamily, retail, and Class A/B office.

Prior to IPA Capital Markets, Max served as a Senior Associate at LEV and an associate at Ladder Capital Finance, contributing to the execution of complex real estate transactions. Max holds a bachelor’s degree from NYU and a master’s degree in real estate finance and Investments from NYU Schack.