Michael is the Chief Executive Officer of REALPAC (1997-), the senior Canadian trade association for large public and institutional investment real estate companies, a former Adjunct Professor and Executive in Residence at the Ted Rogers School of Management, Ryerson University, Toronto, Canada, and a former commercial real estate lawyer (Aird & Berlis LLP, Toronto). REALPAC represents the Canadian investment real estate industry in government relations, public relations and standard setting. Michael has represented the Canadian real estate industry in all major policy initiatives with governments at all levels, including international initiatives.
He is a former Board member of GRESB BV, one of three business advisors to Canada’s Sustainable Development Advisory Council, special advisor to the United Nations Environment Program Finance Initiative (Property Working Group), a former member of the Global Reporting Initiative’s Construction and Real Estate Sector Supplement team, and a former Director and Treasurer of the Canada Green Building Council. REALpac was the first to publish a green lease in North America, brought the first Corporate Social Responsibility standards to Canadian real estate companies, and has developed numerous industry guidance publications on ESG, sustainability and energy and carbon management. Michael is the author of “Canadian Commercial Real Estate: Theory, Practice , Strategy”, the first national textbook of its kind in Canada.