Career Focus

Real estate is a multidisciplinary industry that requires strong analytical rigor as wells as broad strategic thinking. Taught by two active real estate practitioners at industry leading firms and utilizing prominent protagonists and guest speakers, this course will provide students with the fundamental skills in real estate investment, operations and value creation to pursue a career in real estate investing, development or operations.

Educational Objectives

Students will learn about a broad spectrum of opportunities to create value through real estate ranging from real estate investment and development to strategies to add value by optimizing corporate real estate and operations. The course will provide exposure to real estate fundamentals including how to build relationships, how to negotiate and win a deal, and considerations when structuring financing options. It will explore underwriting, deal structure and considerations including taxation, legal and regulatory matters, technology, facilities management, design and construction, and leasing. The class can be taken without prerequisites but is designed to complement and build on the current real estate course offerings (Real Property, Real Estate Investing, Real Estate Private Equity) while examining additional opportunities to create value through real estate investment and operations.

Course Structure

The course is taught using the case method, with traditional and multimedia cases along with frequent protagonists and occasional supplementary readings.

Pedagogical Mix

Real estate lends itself to case method teaching as virtually every subject requires quantitative and qualitative analysis, judgment calls, quick thinking and development of practical action plans. "Cold calling" and active participation are frequent and important components of class. We expect that students will be prepared as most classes will have the case protagonists or other industry leaders present.

Most homework assignments are required to be completed in groups. Additionally, polls will be used frequently and are considered an important aspect of class participation. The course will have a final exam.

Christopher Graham

Senior Managing Director and Head of Global Investment Strategy

Starwood Capital Group

Christopher Graham is a Senior Managing Director and Head of Global Investment Strategy at Starwood Capital Group, where he focuses on our various investment strategies globally, and advises and mentors our investment teams around the world. He is also a member of the Firm’s Executive, Investment and Disposition Committees.

Prior to joining Starwood Capital in 2002, Chris worked at CB Richard Ellis in Washington, D.C., where he was Director of the financial consulting group for the Eastern Region of the U.S.. Chris was previously Associate Director, Eastern Region, of CB Richard Ellis’ investment properties group. Chris received a BBA degree in finance from James Madison University and an MBA from Harvard Business School.

Daniel M. Gilbane

President and Managing Director

Gilbane, Inc.

Dan Gilbane is a 5th generation family leader of Gilbane, Inc. one of the largest privately held construction and real estate development firms in the industry with a global footprint of 46 office locations around the world and three thousand employees generating over $6.5 billion in annual revenue. As President and Managing Director, Dan leads key strategic areas within Gilbane including profit and loss oversight of Gilbane’s Next 150 subsidiary providing site services, equipment and self-perform workforce and GRS Disaster Response, an emergency recovery business. He also leads the company’s internal Supply Chain team, market sector Centers of Excellence and Gilbane’s acquisitions team.

Previously Dan served as the Division Leader for Gilbane Southwest with responsibility for construction operations with revenues in excess of $1.2 billion across the southwestern U.S. and Mexico. Prior to joining Gilbane Dan worked for Donaldson, Lufkin & Jenrette, ING Barings Furman Selz, ABN Amro, and Morgan Stanley Real Estate Fund. Dan received a BBA degree in international relations finance from Brown University and an MBA from Harvard Business School.