Leading Voices in Real Estate

Matt Slepin speaks with Jay Mantz, President of Rialto Capital Management, about the growth of Rialto’s $23B platform, the commercial real estate debt market, and how Jay’s background in real estate equity investing at Morgan Stanley has influenced his perspective. They also dive into leadership, company culture, mentorship, and the lasting impact of professional networks, including what made Morgan Stanley’s real estate culture so influential and what today’s leaders can learn from it.

This episode of Leading Voices in Real Estate features Maury Tognarelli, President and CEO of Heitman, a $50 billion real estate investment manager. Drawing on more than four decades at Heitman, including over 25 years leading the firm, Maury discusses the value of longevity, the importance of brand and guiding principles, and how Heitman has evolved through multiple market cycles. The conversation explores long-term leadership, strategic thinking, and the importance of keeping institutional investors’ goals at the center of real estate investment management.

Matt Slepin sits down with Bill Stein, former CEO of Digital Realty Trust and current partner at Primary Digital Infrastructure, for a wide-ranging conversation about the rapid evolution of the data center industry and its increasingly important role in the AI economy.Drawing on decades of experience in digital infrastructure, Bill provides historical context on the sector’s transformation from a relatively niche real estate business into one of the most closely watched areas of investment and development. Matt and Bill explore how the AI arms race is driving unprecedented demand for new data centers—and with it, enormous requirements for energy, infrastructure, capital, and talent.The conversation also examines the growing tension surrounding data center development, from local opposition and energy consumption to broader questions about AI’s impact on society. As communities grapple with the physical infrastructure required to support AI, data centers have increasingly become a tangible focal point for much larger debates about technology, climate, economic growth, and the future.Recorded during Leading Voices in Real Estate’s Climate Month, the episode offers perspective on one of the built environment’s biggest emerging challenges: how to support the extraordinary growth of AI while navigating its equally extraordinary demands on energy, communities, and human capital.

In this episode of Leading Voices in Real Estate, Matt Slepin speaks with Mike McNamara, co-founder and CEO of Samara, an innovative homebuilder focused on accessory dwelling units (ADUs) and small-scale infill housing. A company incubated within Airbnb's venture arm, Samara is rethinking how factory-built homes can help address both the housing shortage and climate challenges.Mike shares how his experience leading global manufacturing company Flex shaped Samara's approach to scalable, high-quality home production, and discusses why smaller, neighborhood-based development can play an important role alongside larger multifamily projects. As part of Leading Voices' annual Climate Month series, the conversation explores the intersection of housing, sustainability, and the future of the built environment.

In this special rebroadcast of Leading Voices in Real Estate, Matt Slepin revisits his 2017 conversation with acclaimed architect Phil Freelon of Perkins & Will, one of the lead designers of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture in Washington, DC. Recorded shortly after the museum’s opening, the conversation reflects on Phil’s vision, impact, and legacy during a deeply personal time as he battled ALS.Revisited during a recent Fourth of July, this episode offers a thoughtful look back at a moment when national landmarks like the National Mall and institutions like the Smithsonian served as powerful symbols of unity. Phil’s insights on architecture, culture, and purpose remain as relevant today as ever.