KBRA Credit Profile (KCP) was in attendance for the opening day of the Commercial Real Estate Finance Council’s (CREFC) annual June conference in New York City, which hosted nearly 1,200 attendees. Audiences listened as industry leaders discussed the challenges and opportunities facing commercial real estate (CRE) within the current macroeconomic environment.
The conference began with opening remarks from Elaine McKay and David Schell, co-chairs of the 2025 conference. They previewed the agenda and keynote speakers, before passing the mic to Daniel Olsen—CREFC Founders Award recipient—to present this year’s 20 Under 40 class, celebrating rising leaders in CRE finance and recognizing the next generation of industry innovators. Following the opening remarks, Ian Bremmer, President and Founder of Eurasia Group and GZERO Media, delivered the Day 1 keynote: Navigating Geopolitical Uncertainty. Mr. Bremmer identified three key structural forces driving global instability: post-Soviet…