The Consulting Report is pleased to announce The Top 25 Real Estate Consultants and Leaders of 2023. This compilation comprises executives who stand as paragons of knowledge within the real estate sector. They draw from insights gained over many years to head their teams, guiding their respective firms with exceptional leadership to cater to a diverse clientele. The areas of expertise of this year’s awardees run the gamut from marketing and digital solutions, to leasing, asset management, IPOs, valuation, finance operations, and project management, among many other areas. But what all of these men and women have in common is that they are all crucial players in the real estate industry, skillfully tackling intricate property-related issues. Their expertise not only benefits their clients by setting them up for continuous growth, but also lays a solid foundation for their own companies' long-lasting prosperity.
This year’s awardees include Jeff Hill, the Global Leader of BCG's engineering and construction sector. With more than two decades' worth of experience at the consulting giant, Hill works with clients on various issues and also co-leads BCG's work with the World Economic Forum on strategic infrastructure. Meanwhile, Tim Bodner heads the Global Real Estate Deals business at PwC. During his lengthy career, Bodner has personally advised clients on more than $300 billion in deal value. Additionally, with over 30 years of experience in commercial real estate, Dan Fernitz serves at Bradford Allen, where he is responsible for leading the leasing efforts for his firm’s property portfolio, which encompasses approximately 2.5 million square feet.
Please join us in celebrating The Top 25 Real Estate Consultants and Leaders of 2023.
1. Aditya Sanghvi
Company: McKinsey & Company
Title: Senior Partner
Aditya Sanghvi is a Senior Partner at McKinsey & Company, a global management consulting firm. He co-leads McKinsey's real estate industry services, working with leading companies across the residential and commercial real estate value chain. Sanghvi’s expertise covers disruptive forces in the real estate sector, including digital transformation, advanced analytics, new business models, and changing tenant needs. He also advises occupiers of real estate on optimizing their retail, office, and industrial spaces for better experience and cost efficiency.
Outside of his professional role, Sanghvi is actively engaged in community initiatives focusing on economic inequality and mentorship. He chairs the board of America Needs You, an organization providing intensive mentorship to first-generation, low-income students at public universities. Additionally, he serves on the board of Boys & Girls Harbor, which emphasizes the importance of education and the arts for students in the lower Harlem area of New York City. Sanghvi holds an undergraduate degree in computer science and economics from Harvard University.
2. Alex Ramanathan
Company: Bain & Company
Title: Partner
Alex Ramanathan is a Partner and member of the Mergers and Acquisitions and Real Estate practices at consulting giant Bain & Company. She has robust expertise in merger integration, advising companies on large and mid-sized post-merger integrations and separations. In addition to her client work, Ramanathan heads Los Angeles Women at Bain initiatives and has held leadership roles in recruiting. Before relocating to Los Angeles, she spent time in her company’s Chicago and Sydney offices.
Notably, Bain & Company is a global consultancy, empowering ambitious changemakers to shape the future. Operating in 65 cities across 40 countries, they collaborate with clients as a unified team, striving to deliver exceptional outcomes, surpass competitors, and revolutionize industries. Ramanathan earned a JD and MBA from Northwestern University; and a B.A. in Economics from Williams College.
3. Anna Jastrzebska
Company: Accenture
Title: Managing Director, Global Real Estate Services and Lease Management Solutions Lead
Anna Jastrzebska is the Managing Director, Global Real Estate Services, and Lease Management Solutions Lead at Accenture, a renowned global professional services company specializing in digital, cloud, and security solutions across 40 industries. With over 20 years of experience in Commercial Real Estate and Business Process Outsourcing, Jastrzebska has led real estate services groups delivering asset management, lease administration, and property accounting services in Asia (India) and the United States.
Currently, Jastrzebska oversees a 1,500+ person commercial real estate services group that serves leading financial services and real estate companies worldwide. Jastrzebska's expertise lies in transitioning, transforming, and managing domestic and international lease portfolios for various real estate organizations. Jastrzebska holds an MBA from Wroclaw University of Science and Technology.
4. Jeff Hill
Company: Boston Consulting Group
Title: Managing Director & Senior Partner
Jeff Hill is a Managing Director, Senior Partner, and Global Leader of The Boston Consulting Group's engineering and construction sector. With extensive experience in the engineering and construction, industrial goods, and energy sectors, Hill has been with BCG since 2000. BCG, a pioneer in business strategy since 1963, partners with business and societal leaders to address challenges and seize opportunities, fostering growth, sustainable competitive advantage, and positive societal impact.
Since joining BCG, Hill has worked with clients on various issues, including post-merger integration, margin improvement, turnaround plans, organization redesign, and shareholder value strategy. He also co-leads BCG's work with the World Economic Forum on strategic infrastructure. Beyond his professional roles, Hill serves as a board member of the Los Angeles Sports Council and Southern California Committee for the Olympic Games. Prior to joining BCG, he worked as an economics teaching fellow at Harvard University. Hill graduated from Harvard Law School with a J.D. and from Duke University with an undergraduate degree in Economics, Public Policy.
5. Jurriën Veldhuizen
Company: Deloitte
Title: Managing Partner
Jurriën Veldhuizen is a Managing Partner of Deloitte Real Estate and the segment leader for Construction at Deloitte Netherlands. He and his team provide services to multinationals, governments, developers, investors, construction firms, housing organizations, healthcare institutions, and universities in various fields, including Urban and Real Estate Development, Partnerships and ecosystems, Business Location Services, Economic Impact Analysis, Real Estate Portfolio Advisory, Real Estate Financial Advisory, and (Sea/Air) Port Advisory Services.
Veldhuizen’s company, Deloitte, is a global firm dedicated to driving progress for its clients. With a diverse and talented team, they help clients achieve leadership in their chosen markets. Deloitte's commitment to excellence empowers their people to make a meaningful impact. By combining advice, action, and integrity, Deloitte fosters a stronger society alongside its clients. Notably, Veldhuizen graduated from the University of Groningen.
6. Ingrid Noone
Company: FTI Consulting
Title: Senior Managing Director, Co-Leader of Real Estate Solutions
Ingrid Noone is the Senior Managing Director and Co-Leader of Real Estate Solutions at FTI Consulting. Noone has more than 30 years of experience focused exclusively on the real estate industry. She advises the firm's real estate clients in key areas, including debt and equity transactions, transaction structuring, property portfolio and corporate due diligence, real estate development and strategic business planning. Over the course of her career, Noone has worked on many of the real estate industry's leading transactions.
Noone began her career at The Schonbraun McCann Group, a dedicated real estate accounting and consulting firm. While there, she worked in the assurance and tax compliance area, where she focused primarily on real estate owners, operators and developers – and developed a strong background in related accounting and tax issues. Noone graduated from Rutgers University–New Brunswick with an undergraduate degree in accounting.
7. Anthony Wells
Company: Kroll
Title: Managing Director, Real Estate Advisory Group
Anthony Wells is a Managing Director in the Real Estate Advisory Group of Kroll. He is one of the country’s leading appraisers in industrial/commercial real estate valuation. As the leading independent provider of risk and financial advisory solutions, Kroll leverages its unique insights, data, and technology to help clients stay ahead of complex demands. Kroll's team of more than 6,500 professionals worldwide continues the firm’s nearly 100-year history of trusted expertise spanning risk, governance, transactions, and valuation.
Wells has served as project manager on major engagements providing valuation services to corporate clients on a global basis. In addition to serving on foreign assignments, he has completed assignments in many U.S. states. Purposes have included property tax, financial reporting, financing, purchase or sale, fair rental, tax reporting, and donation. Wells received his B.B.A. in finance from the University of Wisconsin – Milwaukee. He is also an Accredited Senior Appraiser by the American Society of Appraisers.
8. Paul Turnbull
Company: Willis Towers Watson
Title: Managing Director, Real Estate Practice
Paul Turnbull is the Managing Director of Real Estate Practice at Willis Towers Watson. Turnbull joined the company in 2005 as a Head of Client Services - Real Estate Practice. Turnbull, together with the WTW specialist team, helps real estate investors manage and insure their risks across both the residential and commercial property sectors.
Notably, WTW provides data-driven, insight-led solutions in the areas of people, risk, and capital. With a global presence and a team of experts serving 140 countries and markets, WTW helps clients enhance their strategies, build organizational resilience, engage their workforce, and optimize performance. Before joining WTW, Turnbull was an Account Director at Aon Risk Solutions. He graduated from Sharnbrook Upper School.
9. Hugo Clark
Company: Teneo
Title: Managing Director
Hugo Clark is a Managing Director at Teneo in London, where he specializes in distressed real estate situations with a focus on the retail sector. Clark joined Teneo as part of its purchase of Deloitte’s UK Restructuring business. His company, Teneo, is a global CEO advisory firm, providing strategic counsel to CEOs and senior executives of leading companies across key objectives and issues. While at Deloitte, Clark's expertise centered on turnaround and managed exit strategies for distressed property investments and value realization and disposal strategies for large leasehold portfolios within high-profile retailer administrations.
Previously, Clark served as a partner at Cushman & Wakefield Investors, where he headed the Tactical Asset Management for the $1.93 billion Hermes shopping center portfolio. He also held the position of Managing Director at Derwent Estates in Manchester, overseeing the restructuring and day-to-day management of the approximately $643 million commercial property investment portfolio of the Derwent Group. He earned a postgraduate diploma in property valuation and law from City, University of London. He also holds an undergraduate degree in English and literature from the University of Cambridge.
10. Tim Bodner
Company: PwC
Title: Global Head of Real Estate Deals
Tim Bodner heads the Global Real Estate Deals business at PwC, where he has the privilege of leading a world-class global team focused on assisting clients in a wide range of areas. In covering private equity, sovereign wealth fund, real estate service provider, listed and non-listed REITs, family offices and high net worth individuals, corporate occupiers and other institutional owners of real estate, Bodner has personally advised clients on initial public offerings, sales of high yield debt, complex corporate transactions, divestitures and mergers and acquisitions totaling more than $300 billion in deal value.
Bodner oversees the development of PwC’s Real Estate Deals publications in the US and Globally, is a member of several global real estate trade groups and is a Certified Public Accountant. He is a graduate of Creighton University, having earned BSBA and master’s degrees in Accounting and Finance and Securities Analysis and Portfolio Management.
11. Ira Weinstein
Company: CohnReznick
Title: Managing Principal, Real Estate, Cannabis Industries
Ira Weinstein is the Managing Principal – Real Estate, Cannabis Industries at CohnReznick, where he oversees advisory, assurance, and tax services for both sectors. Weinstein’s focus is on developing and executing strategies to enhance the firm's resources dedicated to these industries for the benefit of clients, employees, and communities. Notably, CohnReznick has nearly a century of experience, a global team of nearly 4,000 members, and operates in 25 locations, including global subsidiaries. The firm provides services to clients in 30 different industries.
Before taking on his current role, Weinstein served as the Managing Principal in CohnReznick's Baltimore office. His client focus includes financial analysis and planning across various industries. He joined the company in 1997 as a Principal in Community Development Finance. Prior to CohnReznick, Weinstein advised local economic development organizations on revitalization strategies. He also worked in the corporate finance department of a public company, raising capital for corporate and project finance and handling acquisitions and divestitures. Weinstein holds an MS in Finance from Loyola University Maryland and an undergraduate degree in Business Administration from the University of Delaware.
12. Nick Walsh
Company: Slalom
Title: Director, Real Estate Industry Practice
Nick Walsh is an accomplished consultant in the real estate industry, known for his strategic advisory, technology expertise, and leadership skills. With over a decade of experience solving complex business problems, he has consistently delivered outstanding results for his clients and established a track record of driving growth and operational excellence. Currently serving as Director of Real Estate & Financial Services at Slalom, Walsh specializes in advising owners, operators, investment managers, and service providers across the real estate industry.
Prior to joining Slalom, Walsh was at Brookfield Properties, where he served as Senior Director of IT Strategy & Portfolio Management. He holds an MBA from Carnegie Mellon University's Tepper School of Business, with a specialization in strategy, business technology, and finance. He completed his undergraduate studies at the University of Notre Dame, earning a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and Computer Applications.
13. Dave Atencio
Company: Cognizant
Title: Senior Director, Corporate Real Estate
Dave Atencio is the Senior Director of Corporate Real Estate at Cognizant, a company focused on engineering modern businesses and helping clients modernize technology, reimagine processes, and transform experiences to stay ahead in a rapidly changing world. In his current role, Atencio leads and implements facilities and real estate strategy solutions across a global real estate portfolio of over 36 million square feet and more than 300,000 employees.
Atencio has extensive experience in preparing and delivering key business cases for Corporate Real Estate (CRE) to senior management, supporting strategic decision-making for the development of the global real estate portfolio. Atencio's career started in 1994 as the Director of Real Estate at Nelnet. He then progressed to become the Global Director of Corporate Real Estate at The Western Union Company, before eventually rising to his current position as Senior Director of Corporate Real Estate at Cognizant. Atencio is a graduate of the University of Colorado Boulder.
14. Hameer Vaid
Company: Alvarez & Marsal
Title: Senior Director, Real Estate Advisory and Investment Strategy
Hameer Vaid is a Senior Director at Alvarez & Marsal Private Equity Performance Improvement in New York. He specializes in real estate private equity M&A services, with expertise in deals, investment & asset management, valuation, finance operations, and digital solutions. With almost 18 years of advisory and industry experience, Vaid works with clients throughout the investment lifecycle, from strategy and deals to financing, asset management, and exit. Alvarez & Marsal (A&M) is a global professional services firm with over 7,500 professionals across six continents. Since 1983, they have offered advisory, business performance improvement, and turnaround management services.
Prior to joining A&M, Vaid spent six years with PwC's Real Estate Advisory practice in New York, leading engagements for clients in the asset and wealth management sector involving strategy, operations, and digital initiatives. Before that, he spent a decade in the real estate industry with Urban American. He also gained experience with GE Capital's Wealth Income Management group as an associate. Vaid holds a bachelor's degree from the Institute of Management Studies, India, and an MBA from Cornell University SC Johnson College of Business.
15. Robert Walker
Company: PwC
Title: Partner and UK Real Estate Leader
Based in London, Robert Walker is a Partner and PwC’s UK Real Estate Leader. He specializes in the provision of property taxation advice to a broad spectrum of clients, including Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs); property investors; house builders; construction companies and owner occupiers such as retailers. His company, PwC, is a global network of firms operating in 152 countries, with over 327,000 dedicated professionals.
Notably, prior to his current position, Walker worked in the PwC Paris office for two years, developing and leading its European real estate tax business. In addition to the UK, he has a wealth of experience and a strong network within PwC’s European real estate practice. On top of that, Walker has been a key member of PwC’s China Group since 2010.
16. Brian Bader
Company: Baker Tilly
Title: Partner
Brian Bader is a Partner at Baker Tilly in the real estate and construction practice. He has more than 30 years of public accounting experience, including an extensive background in providing assurance services to the real estate industry. Baker Tilly is a leading advisory CPA firm, providing clients with a genuine advantage in many of the world’s leading financial centers – New York, London, San Francisco, Los Angeles, and Chicago.
Prior to joining Baker Tilly, Bader was an assurance partner and co-lead a global firm’s national real estate group. He was also formerly an audit partner specializing in the audit of real estate entities and served as the lead partner in the litigation support and forensic group. In addition, he served as a senior manager in the real estate group and worked in the financial services and real estate group of two Big Four firms. Bader graduated from Queens College.
17. Troy Merkel
Company: RSM US
Title: Partner, Real Estate Consulting Leader
Troy Merkel is an Audit Partner and Senior Analyst in the real estate industry at RSM US LLP in Boston. With over 18 years of experience in audit and consulting, Merkel works with various real estate companies, including developers, operators, and investors across different asset classes. He advises clients on market trends, policy, and technology impacting the real estate industry as part of RSM's industry eminence program.
Furthermore, Merkel is experienced in accounting for asset acquisitions, complex leases, and focuses on tax-advantageous and government-subsidized deal structures. He actively participates in RSM's Family First employee network group (ENG) and leads the firm's AACE ENG to support Black professionals, fostering dialogue around diversity and racial understanding. He holds a master's degree in accounting from Northeastern University D’Amore-McKim School of Business and a bachelor's degree in accounting from the University of Massachusetts.
18. Steven Kurtz
Company: BDO USA
Title: Principal, National Real Estate Practice Leader
Steven Kurtz is a Principal and the National Real Estate Practice Leader in BDO's Valuation & Capital Market Analysis Group. With over 30 years of experience, he is a seasoned professional in all areas of real estate valuations. Throughout his career, Kurtz’s client base has included prominent banks, insurance companies, REITs, developers, private equity firms, and opportunity funds. His company, BDO, is a leading provider of professional services, serving the mid-tier segment of the industry. Operating in 167 countries with 1658 offices, BDO offers seamless client service and a team of over 91,000 professionals.
Prior to joining BDO, Kurtz held various leadership positions, including Principal at Avison Young Commercial Real Estate, Senior Vice President at Great American Real Estate, and owner of Kurtz Realty Consulting. He also served as Senior Director at The Schonbraun McCann Group and Associate Director at Integra Realty Resources. Earlier in his career, he worked as a Senior Associate at Krauser, Welsh & Cirz, and Izenberg Appraisal. Kurtz earned his undergraduate degree in English Language and Literature from Lehigh University.
19. Rich Field
Company: Raytheon Technologies
Title: Senior Director, Real Estate & Portfolio Strategy
Rich Field is a Senior Director of Real Estate & Portfolio Strategy at Raytheon Technologies, the world's largest aerospace and defense company. With more than 180,000 global employees, they push the limits of technology and science to redefine how they connect and protect our world. Before joining Raytheon, Field was a Director, Portfolio Management & Transactions at AT&T, where he was responsible for strategy, portfolio management, and transactions for the Northeast and Midwest regions.
Earlier in his career, Field served as a Director, Strategy & Planning at WarnerMedia and a Program Manager (PepsiCo Account) at CBRE. Field graduated from Baruch College with an MBA in Finance & Investments – with a focus on Real Estate. He also graduated from the University of Connecticut with an undergraduate degree in management information systems.
20. David Mickool
Company: Gartner
Title: VP, Global Real Estate
David Mickool is the VP of Global Real Estate at Gartner, the professional services giant that offers expert guidance and tools to enable faster, smarter decisions – and stronger performance on an organization’s mission-critical priorities. With over 25 years of experience in commercial real estate, Mickool is known for delivering successful corporate real estate strategies and solutions.
Mickool excels in building enduring relationships with internal clients, peers, and field resources. Prior to joining Gartner, he held various leadership positions at CBRE, Grubb & Ellis, Fischer & Company, and Cushman & Wakefield, where he served as the Managing Director of Global Occupier Services. Mickool holds a degree from the University of Connecticut School of Business.
21. Michael Brendes
Company: SAIC
Title: Vice President, Corporate Real Estate and Facilities
Michael Brendes is a Vice President of Corporate Real Estate and Facilities at SAIC, a Fortune 500® technology integrator at the forefront of the nation's technology transformation. The company's extensive portfolio spans defense, space, civilian, and intelligence markets, offering secure high-end solutions in engineering, digital, artificial intelligence, and mission solutions.
With over 33 years of experience, Brendes has a strong background in real estate and facilities management. He began his career as a Senior Consultant at KPMG and held various leadership roles at Towers Watson, Northrop Grumman Corporation, and Raytheon – before joining SAIC. Brendes holds an MBA in Business Administration from Shenandoah University and an undergraduate degree in Business Administration from the University of Richmond.
22. Venkat Neelakantan
Company: Capgemini
Title: Global Head Corporate Real Estate Services
Venkat Neelakantan joined Capgemini through the acquisition of LiquidHub in 2018 and currently serves as the head of Corporate Real Estate Services (CRES). In this role, he oversees various responsibilities related to real estate rationalization and strategy across the global Capgemini Group. Capgemini, a global leader in partnering with companies to transform and manage their business by harnessing the power of technology, boasts 360,000 team members in more than 50 countries.
Neelakantane focuses on areas such as transformation for a sustainable future, capacity management & planning, transactions & facility management, asset management, and workplace digitization. Before joining Capgemini, he held leadership positions such as Partner at LiquidHub and Senior Vice President of Operations at Evoke Technologies. He also worked as VP - IT at Apollo Health Street, Director at UnitedHealth Group, Assistant Manager at Cognizant Technology Solutions, and Senior Software Engineer at L&T Infotech Limited. Neelakantan earned his MBA in Finance from the University of Westminster.
23. Erin Roberts
Company: EY
Title: Global Engineering & Construction Sector Leader
Erin Roberts is the EY Global Leader of the Engineering & Construction (E&C) Sector, overseeing the sector's go-to-market efforts across all EY service lines. With 25 years of experience, Roberts has worked with some of the world's largest E&C clients, providing valuable insights into industry operations, critical success factors, and innovations. EY has the largest integrated real estate, hospitality & construction practice of any accounting organization, with approximately 10,000 professionals around the globe.
Before taking on the Global Leader role, Roberts served as the Americas E&C Leader for eight years. He is a licensed certified public accountant (CPA) in Texas and is a member of both the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA) and the Texas Society of CPAs. Additionally, he is involved in various industry committees, including the Financial Issues Committee of the Associated General Contractors and the Organizing Board of the AICPA Construction Conference. Roberts holds a bachelor's degree in Accounting and Finance from Texas A&M University.
24. Dan Fernitz
Company: Bradford Allen
Title: Executive Managing Director
Executive Managing Director Dan Fernitz joined Bradford Allen in 2017 as the Suburban Market Leader. With over 30 years of experience in commercial real estate, he is responsible for leading the leasing efforts for the firm's office property portfolio, which encompasses approximately 2.5 million square feet. Fernitz has extensive expertise in marketing, leasing, and project management, with a focus on both the office and retail sectors. Bradford Allen is a commercial real estate firm based in the heart of downtown Chicago. Founded in 2003 as an office brokerage, the firm has grown into a vertically integrated, commercial real estate company, offering a full array of services and expertise across multiple U.S. markets.
Before joining Bradford Allen, Fernitz worked at Jones Lang LaSalle, where he managed the suburban Chicago leasing team for 13 years. Under his leadership, the office leasing portfolio grew from 1.5 million to 10 million square feet. Prior to that, he held positions as Principal at 1st United Realty, Director of Leasing at Klaff Realty, L.P. He also held a senior management role at The Ross Group/Ross Berger in Chicago. Fernitz earned a B.S. in business administration with a concentration in real estate from the University of Arizona.
25. Megan Hahn
Company: EY
Title: Americas Homebuilding Leader
Megan Hahn is the EY Americas Leader, Homebuilding Segment – Real Estate, Hospitality & Construction. Hahn has over 17 years of experience serving a variety of real estate and investment company clients. EY is a global professional services organization that exists to build a better working world by helping create long-term value for clients, people, and society. Working across assurance, consulting, law, strategy, tax, and transactions, EY teams find new answers for the complex issues facing our world today.
Hahn works closely with her clients to navigate various SEC filings and reporting matters, equity and debt offerings, complex technical accounting matters, and internal controls over financial reporting. Before joining EY, she served as an assurance manager at RSM US. Earlier in her career, she worked at CohnReznick as an Assurance Associate. Hahn graduated from Wake Forest University with a master’s and undergraduate degree in accounting.
____________________
Copyright: The op 25 Real Estate Consultants and Leaders of 2023 publication is copyrighted material, produced and published by The Consulting Report. For information pertaining to content permissions, please refer to The Consulting Report’s award usage regulations.
