Harvard Real Estate Symposium
Shifting Global Markets: International Investing
The International Environment Panel focuses on the challenges and opportunities in the international real estate market. Experts will explore globalization, cross-border investment, global economic impact, and political and cultural factors on investment decisions. The panel will also focus on the benefits of international investment and emphasize the importance of understanding cultural, political, and economic factors. The discussion will provide valuable insights into global real estate investment's complexities and potential rewards.
Featured Moderator
Frederick Cooper
Fred Cooper is Senior Vice President - Finance, International Development, and Investor Relations at Toll Brothers, a Fortune 500 NYSE-listed residential development company. Toll Brothers, named eight times by Fortune magazine as World’s Most Admired Homebuilder, is the 5th largest homebuilder by revenues, the 11th largest rental apartment developer, and among the most active urban residential high-rise and land development companies in the U.S.
Featured Panelists
Robert D. Naso
Rob is a Managing Partner and Head of U.S. Asset Management for BentallGreenOak. In this role, Rob is responsible for working with the investment, asset management, and development/construction teams on the business plan execution activities across all US portfolios. Rob has 28 years of institutional real estate experience throughout the United States, including 13 years in Asia. He worked across the region and lived in Hong Kong, Shanghai, and Singapore. Rob’s broad experience has covered acquisitions and dispositions, asset management, development/construction, capital markets, and investor relations/capital raising while managing large, culturally diverse teams, hard assets, and entity-level investments.
Ajay Prasad
As Country Managing Director of India at Taurus, Ajay is responsible for due diligence, acquisition, planning, financing, project management, and operation of all investments in India. Ajay is currently leading the development of the Downtown Trivandrum Project, a 5.5 million square feet mixed-use development, and the aggregation of an active deal pipeline of build-to-core developments worth over $1 Billion in key markets across South India. He is also CEO of Taurus Sage Advisors and the manager of Taurus India’s upcoming $250 million investment platform.
Robbie Karver
Robbie is a Principal in EY’s Strategy and Transactions practice. He is the Miami and greater Florida real estate, travel, tourism, and hospitality leader, bringing over 17 years of experience (16 at EY) in the valuation and strategic advisory areas of residential, commercial, leisure, cruise industry, and mixed-use residential and hospitality experience, focusing on Florida/US and also leading EY’s strategy in the Caribbean and Latin America. Robbie’s expertise includes highest and best-use analysis, development advisory, JV partnership advisory, management company selection services, business planning and forecasting, valuation, asset management/ownership strategy, and financial modeling for real estate, hospitality, and tourism.
Ameel Somani
Ameel Somani is a private equity investor with transaction experience in North America, Europe, and Africa. Ameel holds an MBA from Harvard Business School and a dual degree in Chemical Engineering and Economics from Queen’s University.