Unlocking Investment Insights with Jon Gray

Willy sat down with Jon Gray, President and Chief Operating Officer at Blackstone, the world’s largest alternative asset manager with more than $1 trillion in AUM. With over three decades at Blackstone, Jon brings unmatched expertise in commercial real estate, private equity, and global financial markets. Their conversation explored pivotal moments from Jon’s upbringing and his 33-year journey at Blackstone, key lessons from the financial crisis, and strategies for navigating economic uncertainty. They also delved into the origins of Blackstone’s SFR strategy and the creation of Invitation Homes, insights on the multifamily market and data centers, the firm’s approach to AI, its expansion in private credit, and invaluable advice for young professionals—plus much more. Key Points In The Webcast: 00:00 Introduction 02:39 Jon Gray’s dreams in his earlier years 04:45 Being a late bloomer and a family business 06:46 Having a clean desk 07:59 Jon’s love for sports and Michael Jordan 09:36 Leaving Wharton and going to Blackstone 12:35 Did Jon expect Blackstone to be successful? 18:20 Keeping equanimity at tough times 22:41 Deciding to go into single-family rental 28:49 Balancing timing and long-term conviction in multifamily 33:24 Dr. Peter Linneman’s opinion on data centers 34:14 Why is Blackstone investing in data centers? 38:56 Using AI services 40:33 Will Blackstone use AI? 44:57 Growth in the private credit space 49:16 What Blackstone is doing differently vs. banks 50:24 Individual and institutional investors: Predictions 54:36 Strategizing with large start-ups and wealth funds 57:26 Watching Jon Gray’s 2019 Wharton address 58:28 Qualifications that Blackstone is looking for 01:00:02 Jon Gray’s mentors 01:01:54 General outlook on AI GET NOTIFIED about upcoming shows: » Subscribe to our YouTube channel here: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC5jhzGBWOTvQku2kLbucGcw » See upcoming guests on the #WalkerWebcast here: https://www.walkerdunlop.com/webcasts Related webcasts: Tune in on Wednesdays for fresh perspectives about leadership, business, the economy, commercial real estate, and more! #WillyWalker hosts a diverse network of leaders as they share the wisdom that cuts across industry lines. Check out our previous videos: » Full playlist: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL_QkMqEzOkzNmWUe9kpfRJ4213jIh6LNk Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/driven-by-insight/id1540843402 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1z3wDGMAjtscNhKWJfXs7L Follow us: » LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/walker-&-dunlop/ » Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WalkerDunlop » Twitter: https://twitter.com/WalkerDunlop » Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/walkerdunlop/ POSTING POLICY: Please bear in mind that this is a public and professional platform. We’ll do our best to ensure that our postings on this page comply with our standards, which prohibit content that: • is abusive, defamatory, threatening, or obscene • is fraudulent, deceptive, or misleading • violates the copyright, trademark, patent, trade secret, right of privacy, right of publicity, or other intellectual property right of another • contains or links to any virus, worm, Trojan horse, or other forms of malware or harmful code • contains the personal information of others, such as names, addresses, and telephone numbers • violates any law or regulation • is otherwise offensive. We expect users not to post content that violates our standards. We cannot monitor postings or discussions in advance, but we reserve the right to remove any posting that does not meet our standards. source

Outcompeting In The Digital Age with Rodney Zemmel

On this episode of Walker Webcast, we brought in the expert to provide you with the strategy and tools you need to thrive in the age of technology and AI. Willy was joined by Rodney Zemmel, Senior Partner and the global leader of McKinsey Digital at McKinsey & Company. He and Willy discussed key concepts from his book Rewired: The McKinsey Guide to Outcompeting in the Age of Digital and AI (https://www.mckinsey.com/featured-ins…, including the risks and opportunities we will face with AI, upscaling your leadership team, the importance of developing your company’s “soft skills,” and so much more. Watch or listen to the replay. If you have any comments or questions, please reach out to your main Walker & Dunlop point of contact. We are all available to answer questions and provide assistance. Additionally, if you have topics you would like covered during one of our future webcasts, we would be happy to take your suggestions. source

Sun Valley Writers’ Conference with Jeffrey Rosen

How can we ensure the preservation of democracy? By adopting the virtues of our founding fathers. On the latest episode of the Walker Webcast, we featured Willy’s discussion with Jeffrey Rosen – president and CEO of the National Constitution Center, host of the weekly podcast We the People (https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/we-the-people/id83213431), professor of law at the George Washington University Law School, and contributing editor of The Atlantic – from the Sun Valley Writers’ Conference. Their conversation centered around themes from Jeff’s newest book The Pursuit of Happiness (https://www.amazon.com/Pursuit-Happiness-Classical-Inspired-Founders/dp/1797171771/ref=asc_df_1797171771): How Classical Writers on Virtue Inspired the Lives of the Founders and Defined America, including the lives of the founding fathers and their quest for virtue, their emphasis on self-mastery and character development, how social media is validating the founding fathers’ fears of unmediated democracy, the state of play in American politics today, and much more. Key Points In The Webcast: 00:00 Introduction 02:24 Jeffrey’s education: Lessons learned 05:09 Losing his dad and the love of reading 10:30 How COVID and reading transforms routines 11:43 Pythagoras and his influence on Cicero 15:14 Cicero: A better writer or orator? 16:08 John Quincy Adams’ pursuit of virtue 20:32 The contradiction of Thomas Jefferson’s life 25:11 Benjamin Franklin’s 13 virtues 27:16 How does one track their virtues? 32:15 The struggle with humility 37:59 The discipline of reading in the morning 39:25 The link between health and lifelong learning 41:40 Thomas Jefferson’s note on a president losing an election 50:16 Jeffrey’s podcast and hearing scholarly opinions 55:27 The Liberty award winners 56:41 Can we survive a year worse than 2020? 58:34 Comparing Hamilton and Jefferson GET NOTIFIED about upcoming shows: » Subscribe to our YouTube channel here: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC5jhzGBWOTvQku2kLbucGcw » See upcoming guests on the #WalkerWebcast here: https://www.walkerdunlop.com/webcasts Related webcasts: Tune in on Wednesdays for fresh perspectives about leadership, business, the economy, commercial real estate, and more! #WillyWalker hosts a diverse network of leaders as they share the wisdom that cuts across industry lines. Check out our previous videos: » Full playlist: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL_QkMqEzOkzNmWUe9kpfRJ4213jIh6LNk Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/driven-by-insight/id1540843402 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1z3wDGMAjtscNhKWJfXs7L Follow us: » LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/walker-&-dunlop/ » Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WalkerDunlop » Twitter: https://twitter.com/WalkerDunlop » Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/walkerdunlop/ POSTING POLICY: Please bear in mind that this is a public and professional platform. We’ll do our best to ensure that our postings on this page comply with our standards, which prohibit content that: • is abusive, defamatory, threatening, or obscene • is fraudulent, deceptive, or misleading • violates the copyright, trademark, patent, trade secret, right of privacy, right of publicity, or other intellectual property right of another • contains or links to any virus, worm, Trojan horse, or other forms of malware or harmful code • contains the personal information of others, such as names, addresses, and telephone numbers • violates any law or regulation • is otherwise offensive. We expect users not to post content that violates our standards. We cannot monitor postings or discussions in advance, but we reserve the right to remove any posting that does not meet our standards. source

Strategic Approach to Leadership with David Petraeus

To celebrate the 200th episode of the Walker Webcast, Willy was joined by General David Petraeus, retired four-star U.S. Army general who served as the director of the CIA, focusing on intelligence and counterterrorism. He and Willy discussed the evolving landscape of global security, how near-death experiences changed his perspective on life and leadership, physical fitness and his competitive drive, the strategy behind the raid of Bin Laden, and the threats and challenges we’re facing in the world today. Key Points In The Webcast: 00:00 Introduction. 02:09 Willy introduces David Petraeus. 03:29 Working in the CIA vs. the military: Differences. 04:53 The components of luck and the most impactful award. 08:58 David’s education and scholarship. 10:17 What’s it like biking with President Bush? 13:51 The challenge of reaching success. 15:42 The fierce desire to be the best. 17:57 Fostering the culture of competitiveness. 20:49 Lessons from being shot and a parachuting accident. 28:21 Taking out Osama Bin Laden. 31:58 Dealing with the aftermath. 33:08 How preparation contributed to the operation’s success. 36:01 Grabbing every advantage matters. 38:30 How did a swagger stick influence David’s leadership? 44:42 Are we living in a more dangerous time? 49:08 The evolution of warfare and where we’re headed. 54:46 The need for more rapid development. GET NOTIFIED about upcoming shows: » Subscribe to our YouTube channel here: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC5jhzGBWOTvQku2kLbucGcw » See upcoming guests on the #WalkerWebcast here: https://www.walkerdunlop.com/webcasts Related webcasts: Tune in on Wednesdays for fresh perspectives about leadership, business, the economy, commercial real estate, and more! #WillyWalker hosts a diverse network of leaders as they share the wisdom that cuts across industry lines. Check out our previous videos: » Full playlist: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL_QkMqEzOkzNmWUe9kpfRJ4213jIh6LNk Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/driven-by-insight/id1540843402 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1z3wDGMAjtscNhKWJfXs7L Follow us: » LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/walker-&-dunlop/ » Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WalkerDunlop » Twitter: https://twitter.com/WalkerDunlop » Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/walkerdunlop/ POSTING POLICY: Please bear in mind that this is a public and professional platform. We’ll do our best to ensure that our postings on this page comply with our standards, which prohibit content that: • is abusive, defamatory, threatening, or obscene • is fraudulent, deceptive, or misleading • violates the copyright, trademark, patent, trade secret, right of privacy, right of publicity, or other intellectual property right of another • contains or links to any virus, worm, Trojan horse, or other forms of malware or harmful code • contains the personal information of others, such as names, addresses, and telephone numbers • violates any law or regulation • is otherwise offensive. We expect users not to post content that violates our standards. We cannot monitor postings or discussions in advance, but we reserve the right to remove any posting that does not meet our standards. source

Masterclass in Multifamily with Joanna Zabriskie

On a special episode of the Walker Webcast, Willy sat down with multifamily industry powerhouse Joanna Zabriskie, CEO of BH Management, for a dynamic overview of the state of the multifamily market live from RETCON. They discussed opportunities and challenges shaping the industry, data visualization, BH Management’s investment in technology, the importance of data and innovation, multifamily trends, and much more. Key Points In The Webcast: 00:00 Introduction 01:52 Willy and Joanna’s first meeting 03:36 Retrospective look at BH Management 07:01 Scaling a third-party management business 09:43 The power of data visualization 11:46 Fusion data when buying assets 12:55 Opportunities for more fintech integration 14:16 Fusion as a standalone company 16:00 Being sold to Pretium 21:29 Is Pretium doing a distribution network model? 22:46 Competition is healthy 25:02 Pretium’s assets: A closer look 26:27 Which area is Pretium prioritizing? 28:16 Current economic backdrop and predictions 31:40 Is there a need for a strong macro environment? 33:27 Willy explains the “smile” strategy 34:52 The sustainability of rent growth in the Midwest 35:46 The potential of build-to-rent housing GET NOTIFIED about upcoming shows: » Subscribe to our YouTube channel here: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC5jhzGBWOTvQku2kLbucGcw » See upcoming guests on the #WalkerWebcast here: https://www.walkerdunlop.com/webcasts Related webcasts: Tune in on Wednesdays for fresh perspectives about leadership, business, the economy, commercial real estate, and more! #WillyWalker hosts a diverse network of leaders as they share the wisdom that cuts across industry lines. Check out our previous videos: » Full playlist: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL_QkMqEzOkzNmWUe9kpfRJ4213jIh6LNk Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/driven-by-insight/id1540843402 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1z3wDGMAjtscNhKWJfXs7L Follow us: » LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/walker-&-dunlop/ » Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WalkerDunlop » Twitter: https://twitter.com/WalkerDunlop » Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/walkerdunlop/ POSTING POLICY: Please bear in mind that this is a public and professional platform. We’ll do our best to ensure that our postings on this page comply with our standards, which prohibit content that: • is abusive, defamatory, threatening, or obscene • is fraudulent, deceptive, or misleading • violates the copyright, trademark, patent, trade secret, right of privacy, right of publicity, or other intellectual property right of another • contains or links to any virus, worm, Trojan horse, or other forms of malware or harmful code • contains the personal information of others, such as names, addresses, and telephone numbers • violates any law or regulation • is otherwise offensive. We expect users not to post content that violates our standards. We cannot monitor postings or discussions in advance, but we reserve the right to remove any posting that does not meet our standards. source