Leading Voices in Real Estate

This episode of Leading Voices in Real Estate features Maury Tognarelli, President and CEO of Heitman, a $50 billion real estate investment manager. Drawing on more than four decades at Heitman, including over 25 years leading the firm, Maury discusses the value of longevity, the importance of brand and guiding principles, and how Heitman has evolved through multiple market cycles. The conversation explores long-term leadership, st...

Matt Slepin sits down with Bill Stein, former CEO of Digital Realty Trust and current partner at Primary Digital Infrastructure, for a wide-ranging conversation about the rapid evolution of the data center industry and its increasingly important role in the AI economy.

Drawing on decades of experience in digital infrastructure, Bill provides historical context on the sector’s transformation from a relatively niche real estate ...

In this episode of Leading Voices in Real Estate, Matt Slepin speaks with Mike McNamara, co-founder and CEO of Samara, an innovative homebuilder focused on accessory dwelling units (ADUs) and small-scale infill housing. A company incubated within Airbnb's venture arm, Samara is rethinking how factory-built homes can help address both the housing shortage and climate challenges.

Mike shares how his experience leading global manufactu...

In this special rebroadcast of Leading Voices in Real Estate, Matt Slepin revisits his 2017 conversation with acclaimed architect Phil Freelon of Perkins & Will, one of the lead designers of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture in Washington, DC. Recorded shortly after the museum’s opening, the conversation reflects on Phil’s vision, impact, and legacy during a deeply personal time...

In this episode of Leading Voices in Real Estate, Matt Slepin sits down with Casey Berman, Founder and Managing Partner of Camber Creek, a private equity firm investing in innovative real estate technology and cash-flowing assets. Part of the podcast’s ongoing proptech VC series, the conversation explores how real estate operators are leveraging technology to solve persistent industry pain points and build more integrated, co...

In this podcast episode, Matt Slepin speaks with Darrell Crate, CEO of Easterly Government Properties, about the company’s differentiated investment strategy as a net lease REIT focused on mission-critical properties leased to U.S. government agencies. While often associated with traditional office and the DC market, Easterly’s portfolio tells a different story, with limited office exposure and a broader geographic foot...

In this episode of Leading Voices in Real Estate, Matt Slepin sits down with retiring Cornell Nolan School of Hotel Administration Dean Kate Walsh for a wide-ranging conversation about the evolving role of hospitality within real estate and business leadership. Recorded during Walsh’s final month as Dean, the discussion explores Cornell’s outsized influence on the global hotel industry and the powerful network and cultu...

This episode of Leading Voices in Real Estate features a conversation with Margette Hepfner and Sam Bakshandehpour of BILT, a platform bringing hospitality and rewards into the multifamily housing space. The discussion explores how BILT fits into the broader apartment ecosystem and highlights a larger industry shift toward a more customer-focused, service-driven model.

Building on insights from recent conversations and industry even...

A wide-ranging conversation with economist and Rent Roll podcast host Jay Parsons on the current state of the apartment industry and adjacent sectors, including single-family rentals (SFR), build-to-rent (BTR), student, and senior housing. Jay shares key market trends, regulatory challenges, and myth-busting insights, most notably that while property management has consolidated, ownership in the multifamily sector remains highly fr...

This episode of Leading Voices in Real Estate features a conversation with Argentine politician Horacio Rodríguez Larreta, recorded in Buenos Aires at the end of Matt Slepin’s South American trip. Unlike the previous episode focused on real estate investment in Chile, this discussion centers less on property markets and more on leadership, governance, and the economic challenges facing Argentina.

Larreta shares his perspective...

In this episode of Leading Voices in Real Estate, host Matt Slepin sits down with Francisco Rencoret for a live conversation recorded atop the landmark mixed-use development MUT in Santiago.

Slepin reflects on his travels through Chile, highlighting the country’s modern infrastructure, vibrant urban energy, and the success of large-scale developments like MUT as standout examples of placemaking. He also shares observations on ...

In this episode of Leading Voices in Real Estate, host Matt Slepin sits down with Justin Pattner, Head of Real Estate Equity, Americas at KKR, for a wide-ranging conversation recorded on February 26. The discussion explores the major forces shaping today’s real estate investment landscape, including global capital flows, the evolution of REITs in comparison to private equity and traditional real estate investment managers, an...

Thirteen months after the devastating Los Angeles wildfires, Lew Horne and David Waite return to Leading Voices to provide a candid update on recovery, rebuilding, and the long road ahead.

With more than 13,000 structures lost, including over 12,000 homes, the scale of rebuilding remains immense. More than 3,100 permits have been issued and nearly 900 homes are now under construction, yet fewer than a dozen have received certificate...

In Part II of Leading Voices in Real Estate, host Matt Slepin continues his conversation with Roy March, CEO of Eastdil Secured, exploring what has made the firm a true powerhouse in the commercial real estate investment business.

This episode moves beyond history to focus on the cultural DNA, client-first philosophy, and strategic discipline that have defined Eastdil’s success. Roy shares candid insights on leadership, the im...

In Part I of this two-part conversation, Leading Voices in Real Estate host Matt Slepin sits down with legendary Eastdil Secured CEO Roy March, joined by ZRG colleague Alan Walker, for a wide-ranging discussion on the evolution and institutionalization of the real estate industry. Recorded in Santa Monica, the episode traces Eastdil’s origin story and the broader transformation of real estate from the early 1980s through the ...

In this episode of Leading Voices in Real Estate, host Matt Slepin sits down with Sonny Kalsi, CEO of BGO, a global real estate investment manager with over $90 billion in assets under management. Continuing the show’s multi-episode theme of thinking broadly, both globally and long term, this conversation explores how commercial real estate has evolved and what the next decade might look like in an increasingly unpredictable ...

Leading Voices in Real Estate kicks off 2026 and Season 9 with a wide-lens conversation on global real estate trends and long-term market shifts. Host Matt Slepin is joined by Tim Bodner, Global Real Estate Deals Leader at PwC and a key voice behind PwC and ULI’s Emerging Trends in Real Estate report, now in its 47th year.

Rather than focusing on short-term topics, this episode explores the fundamental forces shaping real esta...

In the final episode of 2025, the microphone is flipped as Matt Sleppin appears as a guest on Lance Woods’ Fortunes of the Brave podcast. Recorded on October 16, the conversation, titled From Cowboys to Platforms, explores the evolution of the real estate industry from founder driven “Cowboy” businesses to resilient, institutional platforms. Drawing on more than 40 years of experience, Matt shares insights on lead...

This episode of Leading Voices in Real Estate features an in-depth conversation with Don Wood, CEO and President of Federal Realty Investment Trust, one of the oldest companies in the REIT industry and the only one to raise its dividend for 58 consecutive years. Don and host Matt Slepin discuss how the REIT investor base has evolved during his tenure, the growing contrast between public REITs and private equity, and how leading REI...