Retail & Real Estate 2025: Q1 Check-In and Looking Ahead

David I. Robinov is the Managing Director of investment sales for Ackman-Ziff, the industry’s pre-eminent boutique real estate capital advisory firm specializing in debt financing, mezzanine financing, preferred equity, joint venture equity and sponsor equity. While at Acadia, David oversaw acquisitions by the REIT for its core holdings, as sourcing and investing value-add assets for its opportunity fund. He also was a member of its Financing Committee and facilitated disposition of non-core assets. Prior, David was a Managing Director of Eastdil Secured, the 41-year old real estate investment bank that is a wholly owned subsidiary of Wells Fargo. Mr. Robinov was the co-head of Eastdil Secured’s retail transaction team specializing in the recapitalization of major shopping center assets nationwide. Over his 20-year career at Eastdil, Mr. Robinov has successfully sold or financed several trophy retail properties including: The Westchester, Tysons Corner Center, Stamford Town Center, The Starwood Urban Portfolio, The Source at White Plains, Easton Town Center, Suburban Square, and The Bergdorf Goodman Flagship Store.

Brandon Isner serves as Head of Research, Retail Capital Markets. Based in Cleveland, Ohio, he is renowned as a leading retail thought leader, leaning on both his experience working with advisors and clients, as well as his educational background in urban studies and urban planning. He possesses a unique viewpoint supported by both data and an understanding of the relationship between retail spaces and their communities, which helps him provide invaluable insights to Newmark clients. Isner previously led Retail Research at CBRE, where he spent more than a decade.

Ben Witten is the Head of Real Estate for Placer.ai. Prior to joining Placer.ai, Ben spent 7 years at Trademark Property Company as Vice President of Finance & Asset Management where he was responsible for coordinating strategy, finance and asset management functions within Trademark’s $3B portfolio including the redevelopment of several market-dominant lifestyle and mixed-use assets. Prior to joining Trademark, Ben was directly involved in the national underwriting and successful disposition of non-performing CMBS loans and REO assets at C-III Capital Partners with a combined market value exceeding.