AFIRE Rising Leaders from across our full global member network are invited to the Fall 2025 Rising Leaders Summit, taking place November 10-11, 2025 in New York.
The Summit offers a dynamic program of peer-to-peer conversations, leadership development roundtables, and strategic discussions on the global forces shaping commercial real estate.
Participants will engage with senior executives, industry innovators, and fellow rising leaders to explore how demographic, technological, and environmental shifts are redefining value, risk, and opportunity across markets.
More than a conference, the Summit is a collaborative forum designed to foster growth, insight, and connection among the people driving the next era of institutional real estate. Through candid discussion and shared experience, AFIRE’s Rising Leaders community continues to build the skills, relationships, and vision needed to lead in an increasingly complex world.
AFIRE’s Rising Leaders represent a diverse group of established leaders from AFIRE member firms, typically with 10-15 years of experience, set to transform the executive landscape over the next decade.
The Rising Leaders Welcome Reception and Dinner will be held at Empellón Midtown (510 Madison Ave, New York, NY 10022) on the evening of November 10.
The AFIRE Fall 2025 Rising Leaders Summit will be held at the offices of DLA Piper (1251 6th Avenue New York, NY 10020
Between 49th & 50th) on November 11.
The AFIRE Rising Leaders Alumni Reception and Networking Event will be held at the New York Athletic Club (180 Central Park S, New York, NY 10019) the evening of November 11. (Business casual attire required. View dress code.)
MONDAY NOVEMBER 10
18:30-20:30
WELCOME RECEPTION AND DINNER @ EMPELLON MIDTOWN
(510 Madison Ave, New York, NY 10022)
TUESDAY NOVEMBER 11
@ DLA Piper, 1251 6th Ave, New York, NY 10020
08:00-09:00
BREAKFAST AND NETWORKING
09:00-09:45
MEETING BEGINS / FOCUS ON THE ECONOMY
Jim Costello, Head of Real Estate Economics, MSCI
09:45-10:30
INVESTING IN INFRASTRUCTURE
Andrew Deihl, Managing Director, Nuveen
10:30-10:45
MORNING BREAK
10:45-11:30
LEGAL RISK REVIEW
Michael Haworth, Partner, DLA Piper; Shiukay Hung, Partner, DLA Piper
11:30-12:15
QUICK HITS: REAL ESTATE SECTOR UPDATES
Michael Tussie, CIO, Elion Partners
12:15-13:15
LUNCH AND NETWORKING
13:15-14:00
TABLE DISCUSSIONS
14:00-15:00
STORYTELLING AND STRATEGY
Arthur Zards, Speaker, Producer and Communication Strategist, TED/TEDx
15:00-15:45
AI AND THE FUTURE OF REAL ESTATE
Aaron Block, Co-Founder and Managing Partner, MetaProp
16:00-17:00
POST-EVENT RECEPTION @ DLA PIPER
17:30-19:30
RISING LEADERS AND AFIRE MENTORSHIP ALUMNI RECEPTION @ NEW YORK ATHLETIC CLUB
(Colonial Room, 180 Central Park S, New York, NY 10019)
Business casual attire required. View New York Athletic Club dress code.
Separate RSVP required. Contact Lexie Miller (lmiller@afire.org) to confirm interest.
