NEW YORK, May 13, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Commercial Observer, the premier media and information services company that informs and connects leaders in the commercial real estate industry, hosted its Annual Spring Financing CRE Forum for a packed house at the Metropolitan Club in Manhattan on May 7. The event convened a who's who audience and program of speakers, including many honorees on the 2024 Commercial Observer Power Finance list.

The Forum, which carried an air of optimism for the market and its recovery, boasted an impressive lineup of executives from firms such as Goldman Sachs, Blackstone, Morgan Stanley, Starwood, Cerberus, ACORE Capital, Iron Hound Management, Invesco, and Apollo, to name a few.

Overall, speakers expressed optimism for market recovery. This sentiment was reinforced by points such as a recent increase in major acquisitions by the industry's largest asset managers, activity in the CMBS markets and capital markets more generally, and a serious uptick in new loan originations. Other discussion highlights included the increasingly important role of insurance capital and a new era financed by private credit, triggered by the pullback of traditional banks.

The event was held just over a week after the release of Commercial Observer's Power Finance Feature, an annual ranking of the 50 most influential players in commercial real estate finance. "Market intelligence, adeptness, and experience were recurring themes our editorial team reviewed when developing the 2024 Power Finance list," said James R. Freiman, CEO, Observer Media. "Hosting the event close to the release of the list allowed Power Honorees and speakers to expound on these points in a setting that allowed for candid conversations among some of the most prominent lenders and deal makers in real estate."

To view the event photo gallery please visit: https://co.commercialobserver.com/spring-finance-2024/

The 2024 Commercial Observer Power Finance List Recognized CRE Finance Experts Who Navigated Volatility with Prowess & Gumption

Following another year of market turbulence and uncertainty, the Commercial Observer editorial team used the 2024 Power Finance list to celebrate market participants who put in overtime for existing clients and sponsors, and took on new clients while their competitors were sidelined.

Cathy Cunningham, Executive Editor, Commercial Observer explained that the "honorees took on the challenge head-on, and leaned into what they do best, in a savvy and prudent way. They helped deals cross the finish line in the most challenging of market conditions, often stepping in at the eleventh hour when other lenders bailed, and they restarted even the quietest market segments, inspiring others to follow."

The top 10 Commercial Observer Power Finance honorees included:

• Al Brooks, Michelle Herrick, Brian Baker and Vince Toye, JPMorgan Chase
• Kara McShane, Wells Fargo
• David Bouton and Joseph Dyckman, Citigroup
• Scott Weiner, Apollo
• Katie Keenan, Tim Johnson, Michael Wiebolt, and Michael Eglit, Blackstone
• Jordan Roeschlaub, Jonathan Firestone, and Dustin Stolly, Newmark
• Larry Kravetz, Steven Caldwell, Francis Gilhool, and Kristin Khanna, Barclays
• Matt Salem, Joel Traut, Patrick Mattson, Rene Theriault, and Lindsey Wright, KKR
• Miriam Wheeler, Siddharth Shrivastava, Steven Pack, and Tim Richards, Goldman Sachs
• Brannon Hamblen, Michael Moran, Greg Newman, and Richard Smith, Bank OZK

To see the full list of Power Finance honorees please visit: https://commercialobserver.com/power-series/2024-power-finance/ 

ABOUT COMMERCIAL OBSERVER

Commercial Observer is the leading commercial real estate media and information services company, delivering high-impact content, events and platforms designed to connect and inform industry participants of key trends and people defining the global real estate landscape. Commercial Observer reaches a national audience of the most active real estate owners/developers, corporate occupiers, brokers, investors, lenders, leasing professionals, tech firms, public officials, contractors, architects, attorneys, and accountants, as well other business owners and key decision-makers impacting the trajectory of the building industry. The company holds its reporting to the highest editorial standards with a strong commitment to fairness and accuracy. Commercial Observer is a unit of Observer Media, a company which informs and connects leaders in industries undergoing disruption to help them innovate, grow and make smarter decisions. For more information, please visit www.commercialobserver.com.

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SOURCE Commercial Observer