GRI Global Chairmen’s Retreat 2024

 
The GRI Global Chairmen's Retreat is an internationally renowned annual forum for global real estate decision-makers at the top of the deal-making chain. Due to the concentration of top dealmakers gathered at this event, it has come to be known as a secluded treasure trove of distilled information and free-flowing, and agenda-free conversations.

2023 has seen uncertainty in an unprecedented time. During the Retreat, this group of real estate professionals takes stock of the global landscape and discusses ‘What next? ’.
These conversations take place in organised discussions but also between them in comfortable spaces that allow your friendships with these executives, who are at the top of their game, to blossom.


Keynotes


Ian Williams
Ian Williams
Journalist and Author
Ian Williams was business correspondent for The Sunday Times before becoming a foreign correspondent for 25 years for Channel 4 News (1991 – 2006) and then America’s NBC (2006 – 2016), covering Russia and then Asia. He has travelled and worked extensively in China, and has also covered conflicts in the Balkans, the Middle East and Ukraine. He won an Emmy and BAFTA awards for his discovery and reporting on the Serb detention camps during the war in Bosnia, and an award from the Royal Television Society for his reporting on international arms smuggling. He is the author of four books – two novels and two non-fiction. His most recent, The Fire of the Dragon: China’s New Cold War, looking at Beijing’s increasing global belligerence, was shortlisted for the 2023 Orwell Prize for Political Writing. He is a regular contributor to The Sunday Times and The Spectator, and has commented on international affairs for TalkTV, BBC, Times Radio, LBC and numerous podcasts. He is currently writing a book on business in China that seeks to characterise the often surreal, frequently dangerous and for many deeply addictive draw of the China market.
John Tasioulas
John Tasioulas
Director, Institute for Ethics, AI Faculty of Philosophy
John is Professor of Ethics & Legal Philosophy at the Faculty of Philosophy, University of Oxford, and Director of the Institute for Ethics in AI. He is the co-editor of The Philosophy of International Law (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2010) and the editor of The Cambridge Companion to the Philosophy of Law (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2020. John is a member of the International Advisory Board, Panel for the Future of Science and Technology (STOA), European Parliament and a member of the AI Consultative Group of the Administrative Conference of the United States.
John Tasioulas
David Stubbs
Senior Investment Strategist
Dr. David Stubbs is the Senior Investment Strategist for Blackstone. Former Global Head of Thematic Strategy for J.P. Morgan’s Private Bank. Based in the New York office, he was responsible for delivering research-driven insights on the global economy and thematic investing to ultra-high net worth clients. He is a frequent guest on CNBC, Bloomberg, CNN and other major market outlets. David was most recently the Global Head of Market Strategy at the JP Morgan Private Bank and was formerlv member of Asset Management’s Market Insights team, where he was responsible for formulating and communicating the business’s market views to institutional investors and financial advisors across the region and around the world.


Breakouts


Offices
Is this down cycle temporary?
Residential
Is this the time to invest big?
Inflation & Interest rates
Is today the new normal?
AI
Productivity multiplier or occupancy killer?
Hotels
How long will revenge travel keep prices high?
Retail
What works, what doesn’t?
Logistics & Light Industrial
Reset the pricing button?
Office to Resi
Solution or delusion?
Data, Student, Health care, etc.
Is “Alternative” where values are?
Value Through Operations
Can it ever replace leverage or yield compression?
Debt Funds & Alternatives 
Good times or trouble ahead?
Real Estate
Not the inflation hedge once thought?
Dry Powder
Will it be worth the wait?
Zero Carbon Strategies
Distractions or essential?
Emerging Markets
High risk, high returns?


What we do


Plenary sessions
 
Share your views with other decision makers and vote on your vision for the future of real estate.


Keynotes
 
Enter an open discussion with an expert on a provocative subject that will affect the world in the coming months and years, economically and socially.


Group discussions
 
Contribute to conversations on real estate and the world in intimate group discussions that leave room for opinions and understanding the challenges for the market ahead.


Testimonials






Some Retreat Members


Alexi Antolovich
Alexi Antolovich
Global Co-Head RE
Macquarie Principal Finance
Alexi Antolovich
http://www.macquarie.com/uk
London | United Kingdom
Aref Lahham
Aref Lahham
Founding Partner & Managing Director
Orion Capital Managers
Aref Lahham
http://www.orioncapital.com
London | United Kingdom
Targets diversified pan-European real estate investments; single assets, developments, large portfolios, corporate divestitures and sale/lease-backs.
Audrey Klein
Audrey Klein
Partner, Spencer House Partners; Board roles at Elix, PfP, SFO and Planet Smart City
Spencer House Partners
Bryan York Colwell
Bryan York Colwell
Co-Founder & Managing Partner
LCN Capital Partners
Bryan York Colwell
http://www.lcnpartners.com
New York | NY | USA
$6 billion AUM Credit/Real Estate hybrid investing via parallel $-, €-, and £- denominated blind pool private equity funds.
Cherine Aboulzelof
Cherine Aboulzelof
Managing Director, Co-Head BGO Strategic Capital Partners
BentallGreenOak
Cherine Aboulzelof
http://greenoakrealestate.com/
London | United Kingdom
BentallGreenOak brings together two highly complementary firms with leading capability across the real estate investment strategy spectrum. Our client-centric approach to investment and asset management, and real estate services, offers a world of opportunity for the stakeholders we serve.
Christo Iliev
Christo Iliev
Executive Chairman
AG Capital - Bulgaria
Christo Iliev
http://www.agcapital.bg/en
Sofia | Bulgaria
Cristina García-Peri
Cristina García-Peri
Managing Partner/ Director of Strategy and Corporate Development
Grupo Azora
Cristina García-Peri
http://www.azora.es/
http://www.azora.es/
+34 913 106 370
Madrid | Spain
AZORA is an independent private equity styled asset manager of real assets, based in Spain but investing across Europe and the USA. It currently manages €9.2 bn of AuM (once its various vehicles committed firepower is fully invested) with Hospitality and Living representing c. 70% of this. AZORA has a value-add approach with a strong track record in pioneering new assets classes in Southern Europe and a special expertise in building fully integrated platforms in operational assets classes.
Dirk Brandes
Dirk Brandes
Executive Board Member
Natixis
Dirk Brandes
http://www.pfb.natixis.com/
http://www.pfb.natixis.com/
+49 (0) 69 97153 - 0
Frankfurt | Germany
For over 10 years, Natixis S.A., the parent company of NATIXIS Pfandbriefbank AG, has operated in the commercial RE financing sectors of the most important European markets as well as in the USA. Natixis ranks among the market leaders in Europe in real estate financing and has substantial expertise and knowledge, in addition to long-term experience in structured real estate finance We provide our clients with mortgaged-backed structured loans in the core markets of Germany, France, etc.
Keith Breslauer
Keith Breslauer
Managing Director & Senior Partner
Patron Capital
Keith Breslauer
http://www.patroncapital.com
London | United Kingdom
Established in 1999, Patron Capital Partners has evolved into one of the leading opportunistic real estate managers in Europe. Since its founding, Patron has raised a total of €4.0 billion from institutional and high net worth investors from Europe, the Middle East and the US. To date, Patron has undertaken more than 170 transactions across 83 investments or programs, involving over 65 million square feet of assets in 16 countries.
Luis Pereda
Luis Pereda
Executive Chairman
Grupo Lar
Luis Pereda
http://www.grupolar.com
Madrid | Spain
Grupo Lar is a Spanish company, with a strong international and exclusively real estate vocation, a sector in which we were born and in which we have maintained ourselves for 50 years. We are specialists, with a vocation not only for permanence but also for development and expansion both in Spain and abroad. Grupo Lar is specialized in the investment and management of real estate assets with a strategy based on risk diversification, the development of competitive advantages.
Richard Croft
Richard Croft
Executive Chairman
M7 Real Estate
Richard Croft
https://www.m7re.eu/
https://www.m7re.eu/
+44 20 3657 5500
London | United Kingdom
Roger Orf
Roger Orf
Partner & Head of Real Estate, Europe
Apollo Global Management
Roger Orf
http://www.apollo.com
http://www.apollo.com
+44 (20) 7016 5000
London | United Kingdom
Apollo Global Management manages investment vehicles that originate and acquire assets across the CRE debt space.
Saul Goldstein
Saul Goldstein
CEO
Activum SG Capital
Saul Goldstein
http://www.activumsg.com/
http://www.activumsg.com/
+49 (0) 30 23 253 200
Berlin | Germany
To identify niche opportunities in real estate related sectors
Travis Pritchett
Travis Pritchett
President and Chief Operating Officer
Harbert Management Corporation
Zsolt Kohalmi
Zsolt Kohalmi
Pictet Alternative Advisors
Zsolt Kohalmi
http://www.pictet.com
http://www.pictet.com
+41 58 323 2323
Geneva | Switzerland
Pictet is an investment-led service company, offering wealth management, asset management and related services. We are a partnership of seven owner managers and our principles of succession and transmission of ownership have remained unchanged since foundation in 1805. Our purpose is to build responsible partnerships with our clients, communities, and the companies in which we invest, in order to safeguard and transmit wealth, of all kinds, in the service of the real economy.
Alexi Antolovich
Alexi Antolovich
Global Co-Head REMacquarie Principal Finance
United Kingdom
Aref Lahham
Aref Lahham
Founding Partner & Managing DirectorOrion Capital Managers
United Kingdom
Aref Lahham is Founder and Managing Director of Orion. He is located primarily in Orion’s London office and acts as Orion’s Chief Executive Officer, setting the strategy and leading the Orion Fund’s acquisition team. He has been responsible for over €5.0 billion of property acquisitions throughout Europe. Aref has 34 years of real estate investment and development experience in the US and Europe. He has served on the board of French public quoted company Société Foncière Lyonnaise as well as on the investment committee of a Bulgari sponsored private equity fund called Opera. Mr. Lahham has a BSc in Civil Engineering from Purdue University, a Masters of Engineering in Civil Engineering from Cornell University and an MBA from INSEAD.
Audrey Klein
Audrey Klein
Partner, Spencer House Partners; Board roles at Elix, PfP, SFO and Planet Smart CitySpencer House Partners
United Kingdom
Audrey Klein has held Head of Fundraising roles at several firms but is best known for starting the European business out of London for the Park Hill Real Estate Group, a Division of Blackstone, which she ran for 9 yrs. Prior to joining Park Hill, she ran her own business for 5 yrs marketing alternative asset funds across all asset classes to European investors comprised of pension funds, banks, family offices. She is a graduate of Northwestern University's Kellogg School of business where she received an MBA, and is also a graduate of Emory University with a degree in Economics. She serves as the ESG Chair for a real estate company called SFO Capital and an affordable housing real estate company called Planet Smart City.
Bryan York Colwell
Bryan York Colwell
Co-Founder & Managing PartnerLCN Capital Partners
USA
Mr. Colwell is Co-Founder and Managing Partner at LCN Capital Partners, a real estate private equity firm based in New York, London, and Luxembourg, with over $8 billion in AUM, where he jointly oversees all the aspects of the firm's investment activities and operations globally. Previously, Mr. Colwell was a senior corporate finance/M&A executive at Goldman Sachs for 18 years. Mr. Colwell received his M.B.A from Columbia Business and his B.A. in History and Science from Harvard College where he graduated with Honors.
Cherine Aboulzelof
Cherine Aboulzelof
Managing Director, Co-Head BGO Strategic Capital PartnersBentallGreenOak
United Kingdom
Cherine Aboulzelof is Managing Director, Co-Head for BentallGreenOak's Strategic Capital Partners ("BGO SCP") and sits on its global investment committee. BGO SCP provides liquidity solutions to LPs, and strategic capital by way of co investments, recapitalisations and fund investments to GPs. Prior to joining BGO SCP platform in 2017, she has been responsible for Europe investments with two different real estate investment managers, investing across a number of sectors between 2005 and 2017. She started her career in investment banking with Goldman Sachs, JP Morgan and Morgan Stanley. She holds an M.B.A from INSEAD and a graduate degree from EM Lyon. She is a French, Bristih and Lebanese citizen.
Christo Iliev
Christo Iliev
Executive ChairmanAG Capital - Bulgaria
Bulgaria
Esteemed entrepreneur with an extensive track record of over 30 years in the real estate industry. Founder and Chairman of the Board of Directors of AG Capital, Christo has led the growth of Bulgaria’s largest real estate investment group. AG Capital is a prominent player in residential and commercial real estate investments in CЕЕ, with over EUR 500 million of assets under management. Under his leadership and commitment to excellence, AG Capital has solidified its reputation as a trusted and innovative multi-asset class real estate investment company. Notably, he serves as Honorary Consul of the Republic of Mauritius in Bulgaria and is an active member of various professional organisations, like YPO and Harvard Business School Alumni.
Cristina García-Peri
Cristina García-Peri
Managing Partner/ Director of Strategy and Corporate DevelopmentGrupo Azora
Spain
Cristina García-Peri is Senior Partner and Head of Strategy and Corporate Development for the Azora Group. Prior to joining Azora in 2011, she worked for 16 years in the investment- banking sector at both Merrill Lynch (2 years) and JP Morgan (14 years), where she held various positions across M&A and Equity Capital Markets, and for 10 year, she was Managing Director responsible for Corporate Equity Derivatives for EMEA as well as Equity Capital Markets for Spain and Portugal. Cristina holds a bachelor degree in Economics from ICADE (Spain) and an MBA from Harvard Business School (USA). Cristina is Board Member at Bankinter, a Spanish IBEX 35 banking institution, where she Chairs the Nominations and Sustainability Committee.
Dirk Brandes
Dirk Brandes
Executive Board MemberNatixis
Germany
Dirk Brandes is Member of the Executive Board and Head of Real Estate Finance at NATIXIS Pfandbriefbank AG based in Frankfurt am Main. The Bank combines the special abilities of a Pfandbrief bank with the commercial business resources of Natixis S.A., the corporate and investment bank of Groupe BPCE. The main markets are Germany, France, Italy, Spain and United States. Prior to joining NATIXIS in 2016, Dirk Brandes was Head of Business Origination at HSH Nordbank AG, Hamburg. Previously, he was Head of Commercial Real Estate at DG HYP, Hamburg.
Keith Breslauer
Keith Breslauer
Managing Director & Senior PartnerPatron Capital
United Kingdom
Mr. Breslauer is the Managing Director of Patron Capital (including Patron Capital Captive Fund, Funds I–VII). Total capital under management represents approximately €5.0 billion and focuses on investments in European companies and assets associated with property related activities. Mr. Breslauer is active as a senior patron of numerous charities including Vice Patron of The Royal Marine’s Charity and the Chairman of the PTI (formerly the Prince’s Teaching Institute). He has an MBA degree from University of Chicago and a BSc degree from NYU School of Business. He is an experienced Alpinist and Skier.
Luis Pereda
Luis Pereda
Executive ChairmanGrupo Lar
Spain
Richard Croft
Richard Croft
Executive ChairmanM7 Real Estate
United Kingdom
Richard Croft is the Executive Chairman of M7 Real Estate. M7 has over 225 employees, and manages over 580 assets with a value of c.€5.8 billion. Richard is responsible for the strategic direction of the company, and the capital raising and leads the real estate fund management function. He sits on the board and investment committees of all of M7’s funds in addition to numerous other M7 JV boards. Prior to M7, Richard was CEO and co-founder of Halverton REIM (latterly GPT Halverton). Prior to this, Richard was International Investment Director of the IO Group Ltd, Property Fund Management PLC (now Cromwell). He has been involved in over €15bn of transactions across the UK and Europe during his 30 years of real estate experience.
Roger Orf
Roger Orf
Partner & Head of Real Estate, EuropeApollo Global Management
United Kingdom
Mr. Orf joined Apollo in November 2010 and is a Partner & Vice-Chairman of Apollo’s Principal Finance and Real Estate businesses segment focusing on transaction development for both real estate equity and debt, operating partner outreach, significant limited partner matters and general ambassadorial work across the platform. He serves on the Investment Committees of the Apollo North American Real Estate and the European Principal Finance funds. Previously Mr. Orf was responsible for Citigroup’s global real estate investment activities. He has spent the majority of his career investing in the European real estate markets since he arrived in the UK in 1991 whilst working for Goldman Sachs.
Saul Goldstein
Saul Goldstein
CEOActivum SG Capital
USA
Saul Goldstein is the founder and CIO of ActivumSG, a European focused real estate private equity fund manager with €2bn of equity under management. Prior to establishing ActivumSG, Saul headed the European real estate investment team advising Cerberus Capital Management companies on German and European investment opportunities. In a nine-and-a-half year career at Cerberus, Saul helped to open and run investment advisory offices for the Cerberus management companies in four countries. He advised on investments in real estate, real estate debt, NPLs and operating businesses in the Americas, Europe and Asia.
Travis Pritchett
Travis Pritchett
President and Chief Operating OfficerHarbert Management Corporation
USA
Travis Pritchett is President and Chief Operating Officer for Harbert Management Corporation (“HMC”), an investor in alternative investment strategies. Travis is a member of HMC’s senior management team with management responsibility for HMC’s global real assets group consisting of four platforms - European value add real estate, US value add real estate, US Seniors Housing, and Infrastructure. Travis received a BS from Davidson College and an MBA from the University of North Carolina.
Zsolt Kohalmi
Zsolt Kohalmi
Pictet Alternative Advisors
Switzerland
See the full list


Past Events


Previous editions
2014
2013
2012
2011
2010
2009
2008
2007
2006
2005
2004
2003
2002


Proudly Hosted By


 
Gustavo Favaron
CEO - GRI Club
 
Henri Alster
Chairman - GRI Club
Hotels
Badrutt’s Palace


★ ★ ★ ★ ★
Badrutt’s Palace Hotel is the GRI Chairmen’s Retreat Hotel. Retreat Members should make their own hotel arrangements independently, quoting “GRI” group rate. Space is limited, the Palace invariably sells out early and arrangements before December 1 are strongly advised.

Request GRI rate at: +41.81 837-1100 The GRI rate is not available through travel agents, please book hotel directly.

Badrutt’s Palace Hotel T +41.81 837 1100 F +41.81 837 2999 [email protected]

GRI rates in CHF (CHF 1 = £1.03 = $1.05 = £0.86) Single 625 • Double 945 ~ 1025 Jr Suite 1310 • Suite 3020 • 3rd bed 200
Additional hotels in St Moritz


★ ★ ★ ★ ★
Kulm Hotel St. Moritz T +41 81 836 80 00

A luxurious five-star retreat in the Swiss Alps, offering breathtaking mountain views, impeccable service, and a rich heritage since 1856.
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
Carlton +41. 81 836 7000
 
Four-star accommodation nearby:
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
Schweizerhof +41. 81 837 0707
Steffani +41. 81 836 9696
Practical Information
Arrival
Wednesday arrival, however late, is strongly advised, as the program starts at 08h45 on Thursday and St Moritz is a long journey from anywhere.
“Lucky Encounter” dinners
There are no GRI dinners on the program on Wednesday (arrival day), Friday or Saturday, which are reserved for independent networking and private dinners by members and spouses.
Members that prefer using such occasions to let luck expand their friendships, or are new and yet unconnected, can choose to join member dinners at GRI-selected restaurants around St Moritz.

While facilitated by the GRI, these discretionary options are not part of the GRI program and are at members’ own cost.
Lunches
Members and spouses/partners are cordially hosted for lunch on Thursday through Saturday and members are trusted to kindly stay away from outlandish menu choices such as caviar, exorbitant alcohols or similarly steeply priced items (or pay for it personally).
This invitation extends to members and their registered spouse/partners. It does not extend to their guests or other family that are not members of the GRI Chairmen’s Retreat.
Champagne vote & program awards
Members that enjoy making the program the best it can be, can make their stay even more pleasurable, as follows:
  1. Be greeted to their room by champagne on ice for contributing to the program by moderating or scribing/reporting one of the breakouts.
  2. Enjoy a luxurious room upgrade for expressing interest and being selected to deliver the 5-minute closing wrap-up of the GRI Chairmen’s Retreat on Friday evening (based on their compilation of summary take-aways throughout the program).
Spouses | Partners
Over half of Retreat Members bring their spouses/partners.
Spouses/Partners MUST be listed with the GRI or may (mistakenly) be denied entry or lunch or other courtesy.
Retreat Members Profiles
Retreat Members’ photos and profiles are listed on www.griclub.org/members-directory.
Retreat Members agree that photos and information provided may be used by the GRI at its discretion in its communication activities.
Activities and Insurance
Weather permitting, skiing, curling and other activities in small GRI groups has been arranged, each of them accompanied by qualified guides. Guides and lunch are courtesy of GRI. Equipment rental is Retreat Member’s individual responsibility. Prior sign-up on-site is necessary for all group activities. Retreat Members sign up for any such activity at their own responsibility and release GRI and any Retreat-related sponsors from any responsibility or potential liability.
Equipment Rental
Ski & Equipment Hire - The Palace sports store
(tel: +41 81 833 7585)
is excellently stocked, swift and professional and opens daily until late.  

Curling  (novices are favoured)
Wear loose-fitting trousers, such as track suit/jogging trousers along with a jumper and coat.  One can get warm on the ice, so bring a few layers, as well as gloves and warm socks.   Footwear must be clean and rubber soled. 
Retreat Extension
If you would like to arrive a few days earlier or stay longer, Retreat Members are invited to extend their stay using the GRI Retreat special room rates. No formal program is planned.
Dress Code
The Retreat dress code is casual throughout, except for Cocktails and Gala Dinner, which are jacket required, tie optional.
Salutation
Retreat and GRI etiquette calls for all to address each other on a first-name basis.
Language
The Retreat language is “international” English and all grammar, syntax and other vocabulary rules are suspended. All native English speakers are urged to articulate slowly and loudly. As Anglo-Americans have a natural language advantage, they are encouraged to help non-native English speakers articulate their views. All are encouraged to help with occasional translation, where appropriate.
Get in touch for more information
Kirsty Stevens
Senior Director
Diego Tavares
Managing Director
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