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.

As a founding partner of Conserve Holdings and Conserve Management, David brings a wealth of expertise from his role as SVP at Meridian Capital Group, where he began in 2014. Specializing in structured finance and equity placement, he focused primarily on the mountain west region and played a pivotal role in opening Meridian's Salt Lake City office.

Today, David leads critical functions, including acquisitions, capital relationships, debt sourcing, and strategic disposition timing. His strategic vision extends to formulating growth plans for both Conserve Holdings and Conserve Management.

Beyond the professional realm, David finds joy in family life. Residing in New Jersey, with his wife and two boys, he strikes a balance between leadership at Conserve and family warmth. In his leisure time, David is an avid world traveler, seeking new experiences, and a golf enthusiast who enjoys the strategic challenges and camaraderie the sport offers. This well-rounded approach adds depth and richness to his life beyond the corporate corridors.