"You can have an impact!" states Sagar Rathie as he deftly handled our questions from host Rob Nanfelt. As our latest podcast guest, he approached the interview with enthusiasm and a plan. Immediately endearing and always prepared, Sagar has made a meteoric rise in the commercial development industry here in Charlotte. He also calls himself a bit of a Renaissance man but also stated that one of the mobile apps he couldn't live without is his GPS (…so he knows where he's going!). Then he explained how, given a choice between being the smartest person in the room or the funniest, he would choose to be funny. Cementing our impression of him as a man who balances discipline and structure, with sheer persuasion.

Schooled as an engineer, his focus for NAIOP in 2025 and beyond is establishing a robust advocacy connection between Charlotte's commercial industry and our representatives at the state level. Moved deeply by the magic that happens when a concept and dream of a development becomes tangible and real, he is also committed to helping those even younger than him get a start in the commercial industry with a good mix of wonder and dedication to engagement.

Here's more information about our podcast guest:

Sagar Rathie joined Crescent Communities in 2016 and currently serves as Managing Director, Office for the Commercial division. He leads all aspects of the Company's office acquisitions and developments throughout the Southeast and Southwest, with an active investment and pipeline development portfolio totaling 2.5 million SF and representing $1.3 billion in capital deployed. Sagar is responsible for sourcing, entitling, designing, financing, and executing on new and value-add office and mixed-use developments across the Carolinas, Georgia, Tennessee, Central Florida, Texas, and Arizona.

Sagar has extensive capital markets experience, having collectively raised nearly $4.0 billion in third party equity and debt throughout his career. Previously, he was Crescent Communities' Director of Corporate Finance and Investor Relations, where he played an integral role in the company's financial forecasting and planning efforts, assisted with the investment committee process, and led numerous strategic initiatives for the company. Prior to Crescent Communities, Sagar was in Investment Banking with Piper Sandler, and a Manager at GlaxoSmithKline.

He currently serves on the Board of Trustees for Discovery Place, President for the NAIOP Charlotte Chapter, active with ULI as a member of the Capital Markets Committee, a recent graduate of Leadership Charlotte, and heavily involved with the community.

Sagar received his master's in business administration from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, master's in engineering from Duke University, and Bachelor of Science in Biomedical Engineering also from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.