In this episode of the Real Estate Forum, host Raphael Sidelsky sits down with Jonah Sonnenborn, Head of Real Estate at Access Industries, to discuss his journey from investment banking to leading a global real estate portfolio. Jonah shares Access Industries’ strategic approach to building and managing iconic properties worldwide, highlighting landmark projects such as Faena District, One High Line, The Ocean Club, and Grand Hotel du Cap Ferrat.

The conversation covers the role of placemaking in creating lasting value, the balance between trophy assets and recurring platform plays, and the importance of long-term vision, hands-on leadership, and strategic partnerships in shaping the future of global real estate investing.

Photography Credit: Jonah Sonnenborn photo by Sasha Maslov.
Chapters:

(00:00:00) Introduction to the Real Estate Forum
(00:00:35) Meet Jonah Sonnenborn
(00:02:16) From Investment Banking to Real Estate
(00:07:59) Building Access Industries’ Real Estate Platform
(00:08:51) Case Studies: Faena District and One High Line
(00:13:29) The Ocean Club and Grand Hotel du Cap Ferrat
(00:16:45) Balancing Trophy Assets and Platform Plays
(00:19:04) Navigating Real Estate Challenges
(00:20:06) The Role of Placemaking
(00:20:56) Team Building and Strategic Partnerships