Top female executives converging for 6th REW Women’s Forum

Experts from all corners of the real estate industry will discuss New York City’s risks and opportunities during the 6th Annual Real Estate Weekly Women’s Forum this Wednesday.

The Downtown Alliance’s Jessica Lappin, Extell Development’s Raizy Haas, Langan Engineering’s Michelle O’Connor and CetraRuddy’s Nancy Ruddy will take part in the neighborhood changes panel. The discussion, which will be moderated by Bryan Cave’s Sonia Bin, will tackle changes in areas such as Hudson Yards and the Financial District, transit, demographic shifts and the purchasing power of developers, tenants and residents.

“A lot of people are in wait-and-see mode of what sort of policies will be put in place and how they will affect everyone here,” Bain said. “So there are fewer deals out there for people to make money on and, with these unknown factors, it’s causing people to take pause and not feel they have appetite for risks involved.”

Meanwhile, DGW Investment Management’s Jane Weng, Ten-X’s Camille Renshaw, Cushman & Wakefield’s Marcella Fasulo and Harbor Group’s Lane Shea will take part in the strategy changes panel. The discussion will center on the attractiveness of the US as a real estate investment target, the movement of lenders and opportunities for investment. The panel will be moderated by EisnerAmper’s Lisa Knee.

“I think Chinese investors have a very idealistic view and very strong appetite for quality assets abroad, from both an institutional level and also the individual level,” Weng said.

“In the past, a lot of Chinese investorsʼ portfolios were concentrated in China. Now, we get to a point where everybody feels like we have to go overseas to diversify our portfolio.”

Savills Studley’s Heidi Learner, JP Morgan Chase’s Priscilla Almodovar, Greystone EB-5 Holdings Corporation’s Alison Berman and the New York City Housing Authority’s Shola Olatoye will take part in the political changes panel. The group will discuss the impact of federal and state government policies on businesses and normal people. The panel will also explore possible solutions to the city’s housing shortage. The New York City Economic Development Corporation’s Eleni Janis will serve as the moderator.

The morning event, set to take place at the New York City Bar Association Building at 42 West 44th Street, will include a keynote speech by New York City Deputy Mayor Alicia Glen.

“It’s going to be an exciting day,ˮ said Glen, the deputy mayor for housing and economic development. “I look forward to sharing more on where New York City is headed and how we can all work together to keep the city growing and thriving.”

Glen, who is in charge of 40 city agencies, served as HPD’s assistant commissioner for housing finance during the Rudy Giuliani administration.  She also led Goldman Sachs’ Urban Investment Group, which funded the construction of low-income housing.

EisnerAmper is co-hosting the 6th annual Real Estate Weekly Women’s Forum.  The event is scheduled from 8am to 1pm.  For more information, visit www.nycwomensforum.com.