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In-person Event Covid-19 Guidelines

This event will be in-person and will follow local guidelines to ensure the safety of all attendees. We will have a capacity limit and it is highly likely this event will sell out. We will advise on any necessary precautions closer to the event.

Speakers and Panels

Brooklyn's Office Makeover

Embracing The Hybrid Work Model & Attracting Tenants

Wayne Berger

Wayne Berger

CEO

IWG Americas

Joseph Kohl-Riggs

Joseph Kohl-Riggs

Principal

Hudson Companies

Cooper Kramer

Cooper Kramer

Co-Chief Investment Officer

Savanna

Alireza Esmaeilzadeh

Alireza Esmaeilzadeh

SVP, Development

Brookfield Properties

Matthias Hollwich

Matthias Hollwich

Founder

HWKN

Frank Puglia

Frank Puglia

Eastern Region Area Vice President

IWG

Roland Merchant
Moderator

Roland Merchant

Senior Managing Director

CBRE

Wayne Berger

CEO

IWG Americas

Wayne Berger is the CEO of IWG Americas: United States, Canada and Latin America, the global coworking and

workspace leader. The company harnesses the power of flexible working through its companies Regus, Spaces, No. 18,

Open Office, HQ, and Signature by Regus. Wayne is a leader and advocate for the transforming world of work.

With over 20 years in multi-national leadership positions helping companies improve the way they maximize their office

and communities, Wayne is helping lead the acceleration of the workplace revolution— evolving from traditional office

space to the new flexible work world. Follow Wayne Berger @wayneberger.

Joseph Kohl-Riggs

Principal

Hudson Companies

Joseph is responsible for sourcing and evaluating all new real estate opportunities for Hudson. With a background in urban planning and public policy, Joseph specializes in combining a deep grasp of public and private finance, zoning, architecture, construction, tax incentives and market conditions to find projects that further Hudson’s goals and mission. Joseph holds his Bachelor of Arts from New York University and serves on the Board of Directors of the Brooklyn Navy Yard.

Cooper Kramer

Co-Chief Investment Officer

Savanna

Mr. Kramer is Co-Chief Investment Officer at Savanna where he is a member of the Investment Committee and the Senior Management Committee. He is responsible for new investments and managing assets in Savanna’s portfolio. Mr. Kramer’s responsibilities include acquisition underwriting and due diligence, financial modeling and deal structuring. In addition, Mr Kramer oversees and coordinates the development, leasing and repositioning of Savanna properties. Prior to joining Savanna in 2006, Mr. Kramer was an Associate Director at Fitch Ratings in the Commercial Mortgage Group. In the Commercial Mortgage Group, Mr. Kramer was responsible for rating securities backed by commercial real-estate assets. Prior to the Commercial Mortgage Group, Mr. Kramer worked in the Residential Mortgage Group at Fitch Ratings. Mr. Kramer graduated with a BA in Economics from Brown University.

Alireza Esmaeilzadeh

SVP, Development

Brookfield Properties

Alireza (Ali) Esmaeilzadeh leads Brookfield’s residential and commercial development business for the NY and Boston regions. Prior to his current role, he was responsible for the asset management and leasing of a 6 million square foot Class A New York commercial portfolio, including the New York Times building and the Tata Innovation Center at CornellTech.

Prior to joining Brookfield Properties, Mr. Esmaeilzadeh headed the NYC offices of Forest City Enterprises and previous to that, he was a banker in the investment banking division of Scotiabank in Toronto, Ontario.

Mr. Esmaeilzadeh received his MBA from the Wharton School of Business, University of Pennsylvania, and graduated with honors from Queen’s University, in Ontario, Canada.

Mr. Esmaeilzadeh proudly serves on the Brooklyn Hospital’s Board of Trustees, as well as the boards of Brooklyn Horizons, Greenpoint Manufacturing Design Center, and The Acting Company. Mr. Esmaeilzadeh is the Chairman of the MetroTech Business Improvement District; board member and secretary of the Downtown Brooklyn Partnership; board member of the Times Square Alliance and Brooklyn Chamber of Commerce.

Matthias Hollwich

Founder

HWKN

Matthias Hollwich is the founder of HWKN, a NY-based collective of architects, sculptors, social strategists and innovators dedicated to use architecture to shape a better world. Matthias was born and raised in Germany where he studied architecture and brings a dual perspective to all the firm’s designs, combining German precision with American aspiration. His work encompasses buildings, spaces, masterplans, and new social typologies, all of which are designed to engender curiosity and encourage participation. His vision is shared by a team of collaborators who listen, question, and lead the creation of extraordinary places.

Matthias Hollwich published his first book UmBauhaus- Updating Modernism in collaboration with Rainer Weisbach and the Bauhaus Foundation in 2006. His latest book, New Aging: Live Smarter Now to Live Better Forever, suggests a new way to think about aging that could fundamentally change the way we design for it, published in 2016.

Matthias lectures widely on the topics of architecture, sustainability, aging and innovation at renowned conferences around the world, including TED, PICNIC, Stelka, and the Conscious City conference. In 2019 he spoke at Me Convention about “Unforgettable Architecture,” and continues to lecture at the University of Pennsylvania.

Frank Puglia

Eastern Region Area Vice President

IWG

Frank Puglia is an accomplished sales and operations executive. Frank has been with the International Workplace Group (IWG) for four years and serves as the Eastern Region Area Vice President. Frank oversees IWG’s New York operating brands, which consists of 62 locations throughout Manhattan, the five boroughs and Long Island. Frank holds a Bachelor’s degree in Business Management from Providence College.

The Revival of Urban Neighborhood Life

Why You Should Invest In Brooklyn's Multifamily Market Now

Sam Charney

Sam Charney

Founder, CEO

Charney Companies

Bonnie Campbell

Bonnie Campbell

Principal

Two Trees Management Company

Ben Gray

Ben Gray

Managing Director

Apollo Global Management

Isaac Henderson

Isaac Henderson

Director of Development

Lendlease

Morris Betesh
Moderator

Morris Betesh

Senior Managing Director

Meridian Capital Group

Sam Charney

Founder, CEO

Charney Companies

Sam Charney is the principal and founder of Charney Companies, a Queens-based real estate development, property management, and brokerage firm that builds, owns, and operates more than 3 million square feet and 3,500 apartments across New York City. Since launching the company in 2013, he has led transformative projects citywide, beginning with his first solo development, The Jackson at 11-51 47th Avenue, which received the Queens Chamber of Commerce Award for Best New Multifamily Building. His work has earned numerous accolades, including Brooklyn Building Awards (2006, 2008), NYU’s Bart Lawson Award for Humanitarianism (2012) for his work with blind athletes, and Developer of the Year at the 2025 RED Residential Awards. Charney lives in New York with his wife and two children, serves on the boards of the Brooklyn Museum, Queens Museum, Pursuit, and the Brooklyn Public Library, and is an avid art collector.

Bonnie Campbell

Principal

Two Trees Management Company

Bonnie Campbell is a Principal at Two Trees Management Company, a development firm in Brooklyn, NY. Two Trees is known for its role in transforming the Brooklyn neighborhood of DUMBO where the company’s holdings include 3 million square feet of commercial, industrial and residential space. As a result of Two Trees’ efforts, DUMBO has grown from a neglected waterfront into a vibrant mixed-use community. Bonnie leads a team of planners, architects and development professionals on behalf of Two Trees and is involved in site acquisition, financing, construction, design, and leasing of Two Trees’ portfolio. Most recently, she and her team successfully rezoned the 11-acre Domino Sugar Refinery site acquired by Two Trees in 2012. The site is currently being redeveloped by Two Trees to include a 6-acre public park and 3 million sq. ft. of new development including residential, office, retail and community facility uses. Bonnie joined Two Trees over 15 years ago, after receiving masters degrees in Real Estate Development and City Planning from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Bonnie received a Bachelor of Arts degree in Economics and Urban Planning from Stanford University.

Isaac Henderson

Director of Development

Lendlease

Mr. Henderson is a Development Director at Lendlease. Mr. Henderson is currently managing the development of 1 JAVA on the Greenpoint waterfront in Brooklyn, New York. When complete, 1 Java will transform a full city block into a mixed-use development including approximately 850 rental units, with 30% affordable, ground floor retail, and public waterfront esplanade.

Prior to working at Lendlease, Mr. Henderson served as Manager Director Essex Crossing at L+M development partners for nine years. In this role, Mr. Henderson oversaw the development of Essex Crossing, a transformative nine-site, 2 million square foot, $1.5 billion development in New York’s Lower East side that includes over 1,000 units of housing, 600,000 square feet of commercial space, office space, and the new Essex Market.

In total, Mr. Henderson has over 20 years of development experience and has been involved in the development of over 2,000 units of mixed-income housing and commercial space Mr. Henderson has extensive experience developing large scale, mixed-use development that include a variety of capital sources. Mr. Henderson has strong knowledge of both state and federal affordable housing financing tools including tax-exempt bonds, federal and state tax credits, and new market tax credits.

Isaac has a master’s degree in urban planning from the Department of City and Regional Planning at the University of North Carolina. Isaac received a B.A. from Grinnell College with a major in Economics.

Morris Betesh

Moderator

Meridian Capital Group

Mr. Betesh joined Meridian Capital Group in May 2017, where he leads an eight-member team. Prior to joining Meridian, he served as a Director at Cushman & Wakefield Capital Markets and a Director of Capital Services at Massey Knakal Realty Services. To date, Mr. Betesh has financed over 500 buildings across the United States and has closed well in excess of over $5 billion in transactions throughout his career. Previously, Mr. Betesh was a Portfolio Manager at a private family office, where he managed a portfolio of properties in Midtown Manhattan and was principally responsible for restructuring and developing the portfolio, in addition to directly leasing the properties and managing the finances at a corporate level. Mr. Betesh attended Brooklyn College, where he received his Bachelor of Science in Business Management and Finance and was honored with the Brooklyn College Presidential Scholarship.

Rising Investment Frontiers

Capitalizing On Brooklyn's Industrial Boom

Regina Myer

Regina Myer

President

Downtown Brooklyn Partnership (DBP)

Jillian Joseph

Jillian Joseph

Vice Chair

Board of Brooklyn Navy Yard Development Corporation

Andy Levin

Andy Levin

SVP, Director of Leasing

Boston Properties

Zachary Bernstein
Moderator

Zachary Bernstein

Partner

Fried Frank

Regina Myer

President

Downtown Brooklyn Partnership (DBP)

Regina Myer is President of the Downtown Brooklyn Partnership (DBP), a not-for-profit

local development corporation that serves as the primary champion for Downtown Brooklyn

as a world-class business, cultural, educational, residential, and retail destination.

Until 2016, Regina served as President of Brooklyn Bridge Park. During her nine years

overseeing the Park project - an historic public investment into one of the largest public works in

the City - Myer oversaw the dramatic transformation of 1.3 miles of industrial waterfront into

one of New York City’s most popular destinations and one of the most lauded urban parks in

the country.

Prior to Brooklyn Bridge Park, Regina was the senior vice president for planning and

design at the Hudson Yards Development Corporation, and the Brooklyn Borough

Director for the New York City Planning Department, where she directed the

comprehensive redevelopment of the Greenpoint/Williamsburg waterfront, the rezoning

of Downtown Brooklyn for high density office and residential development, and

numerous neighborhood rezoning efforts.

Working with DBP’s board, the three BIDs it oversees, government agencies, and local

stakeholders, Regina is leading initiatives, advocating, and securing funding to improve

Downtown Brooklyn’s public realm, upgrade infrastructure, create open space, and

cohesively connect the booming district to adjacent neighborhoods.

She received her BA and Masters in Urban Planning from the University of Michigan,

and resides in Park Slope, Brooklyn.

Jillian Joseph

Vice Chair

Board of Brooklyn Navy Yard Development Corporation

Senior in-house counsel supporting the global investment operations of TIAA’s Global Real Estate business-- Nuveen Real Estate -- one of the largest institutional owners of real estate and real estate related assets worldwide.

Responsible for support across the transaction spectrum including $10B in mortgage financings, structured debt offerings and mezzanine lending. Also active attorney responsible for Nuveen Real Estate's equity platform including large scale property acquisitions and dispositions, joint ventures and asset management-- including construction and leasing, complex portfolio investments, and fund products. Lead in-house attorney responsible for TIAA's General Account and its equity investments in the UK, Australia and Asia-Pacific in multi-family, office and retail sectors.

Lead in-house attorney for structured debt products, including debt funds and the capital markets program for the sale and placement of mortgage and mezzanine loans to other financial institutions across the globe

Andy Levin

SVP, Director of Leasing

Boston Properties

Andrew Levin handles leasing for the New York City-area buildings of Boston Properties, one of the nations largest landlords and developers. Regionally, the publicly traded trusts holdings span several towers totaling more than 11.5 million square feet, including such gems as the General Motors Building, the Times Square Tower, 599 Lexington Avenue and the recently completed 250 West 55th Street.

Given the scope of Boston Properties New York-area portfolio, then, its not surprising that Levin has had a hand in major leasing deals. His team, in fact, typically inks between 500,000 and 1 million square feet of leases annually, often at some of the highest rents in the city$100 and way up.

Levin, for instance, leased up the 987,800-square-foot 250 West 55th with such tenants as law firms Kaye Scholer and Morrison Foerster as well as Al-Jazeera, the news outlet, and George Soros investment firm.

After graduating from Boston University, Levin started his real estate career at the old Edward S. Gordon Co., a precursor to CBRE Inc., working in its consulting division. He then went to Columbia Law School, where he interned in the refinancing wing of developer the Related Cos. Shortly before earning his degree, he accepted a project management position at Boston Properties.

Zachary Bernstein

Moderator

Fried Frank

Zachary Bernstein is a partner in Fried Frank's Real Estate Department, resident in the New York office. He joined the Firm in 2008 and became partner in 2016.

Mr. Bernstein specializes in real estate development, with a focus on land use. He represents a range of clients including private developers, not-for-profits, and religious organizations. His experience includes transactions for the purchase and sale of development rights, analysis of development potential and applications with governmental agencies including the New York City Planning Commission, the Board of Standards and Appeals, the Department of Buildings, and the Landmarks Preservation Commission.

Mr. Bernstein is recognized by Chambers and Partners in the Real Estate: Zoning/Land Use (New York) section and a “Next Generation Lawyer” by Legal 500 in Real Estate: Land Use and Zoning. Additionally, Mr. Bernstein was selected by Crain's New York Business for its annual 40 Under 40 list of the most accomplished New York City based business professionals under 40 years old.

Recent representations include the following:

SL Green Realty Corp. with respect to special permits and negotiation of transit-related improvements for the One Vanderbilt office development project adjacent to Grand Central Terminal.

The Moinian Group in zoning applications and tax abatement benefits for its 1.8 million-square-foot tower at 3 Hudson Boulevard.

Trinity Church in the rezoning of an 18-block area in the Hudson Square neighborhood of Manhattan from manufacturing zoning to a mixed-use district.

Greystone Development in joint venture and development agreements in connection with the construction of a new residential condominium building in the West Village.

JEMB Realty in the purchase of development rights and land from the City of New York to facilitate development of a new office tower adjacent to Willoughby Square in Downtown Brooklyn.

Time Equities with respect to zoning text changes, special permits, and transfer of development rights from the City of New York to facilitate the development of a 63-story mixed-use residential tower in Lower Manhattan.

Citigroup in the approval of design changes to five public plazas surrounding the bank's global headquarters in Tribeca.

Anbang Insurance Group with respect to land use considerations in connection with the acquisition of the Waldorf-Astoria hotel.

Professional Associations

Mr. Bernstein has been a member of the Land Use Committee of the Bar Association of the City of New York and previously chaired the Zoning Committee of the Metro Chapter of the American Planning Association. He currently serves on the Board of NYU’s Furman Center for Real Estate and Urban Policy, is a member of ULI NEXT New York, and REBNY’s Zoning and Design Committee.

Bar Admissions/Licensed Jurisdictions

New York

Why This Matters

What you'll learn:

  • Acquire expert insight into what the return to the office means for Brooklyn’s office market.

  • What the push for a hybrid work model will mean for office leasing and co-working spaces.

  • Develop strategies to keep up with changing commercial landscape needs as new industries move into Brooklyn neighborhoods.

  • How to create value for the Brooklyn community by identifying opportunities to develop luxury, market-rate and affordable housing in a post-pandemic climate.

  • Gain insight into how industrial development will drive new development frontiers.

How you'll do more business: Take advantage of a burgeoning Brooklyn market as a recovery phase begins in New York. Understand the leading trends and tenant demands that will drive your Brooklyn portfolio to greater heights as renters and businesses return to the city. 

Who attends: Owners, developers, investors, brokers, business consultants, lawyers, architects, engineers, government officials, bankers

Why should you attend: Get leading insights from experts directing some of the greatest deals in Brooklyn. You'll hear from luminaries on three exclusive panels to help you secure your next deal. 

For questions, recommendations, comments, or press inquiries please email our New York event producer, Haleigh Besecker at Haleigh.Besecker@Bisnow.com.

Venue

Marriott New York Brooklyn Bridge
333 Adams St
Brooklyn, NY 11201

Ballroom: Salon G, H, & I


Parking information: The hotel does not offer on-site parking. There is, however, a parking garage located next door at 350 Jay St, Brooklyn, NY 11201.

Get Directions

Agenda

Time Activity
11:30 AM
12:30 PM
Registration & Networking
12:30 PM
1:15 PM
Brooklyn's Office Makeover: Embracing The Hybrid Work Model & Attracting Tenants

Brooklyn's office leasing has wavered over the past six months. Will an increase in co-working flexibility be a saving grace for the sector?
What does the more than 2.3M SF of office space under development in Brooklyn mean for the borough's long term outlook?
What are tenants' top design and amenity demands?

1:15 PM
2:00 PM
The Revival of Urban Neighborhood Life: Why You Should Invest In Brooklyn's Multifamily Market Now

How are multifamily communities in Brooklyn competing with Manhattan properties?
What design features are multifamily experts seeing as top drivers for leasing activity in Brooklyn?
What is the latest on affordable housing in the borough?

2:00 PM
2:45 PM
Rising Investment Frontiers: Capitalizing On Brooklyn's Industrial Boom

Has an increase in industrial development and leasing spurred activity in other sectors?
Are developers and investors eyeing up new asset classes that they haven't previously pursued in Brooklyn?
As zoning battles continue, what will the changing Brooklyn landscape mean for existing residents and businesses in the borough?

2:45 PM
3:00 PM
Post-Event Networking