Rémy Raisner, Founder & CEO of Proteus Capital Management

Rémy Raisner is a real estate investor and the Founder and CEO of Proteus Capital Management, a real estate private equity firm headquartered in New York City.

Why the Transatlantic Forum of the French-American Foundation?

The French-American Foundation provides a tremendous opportunity to deepen knowledge of the French-American relationship by better understanding the views of those who shape it, across a wide variety of fields.  All the more, the Transatlantic Forum enables like-minded, worldly individuals with comparable lifestyles and intellectual curiosity to explore current issues in an off-the-record setting and on a regular basis.

What are you getting out of it personally?  Why would you recommend it to others?

I am delighted to have already formed strong friendships despite the program being less than a year old.  I trust that we will be in touch throughout our lives and careers.  I would recommend this program to anyone who would be curious about the world we live in, outside of the scope of his/her day-to-day activities, and in particular to anyone with an interest in the French-American axis and overall transatlantic affairs.

You are in real estate, what is happening in NYC currently? 

I am the founder of a Real Estate Private Equity company named Proteus Capital Management.  We are mostly involved in acquiring, improving and owning apartment and mixed-use buildings in emerging areas of New York City.  Our markets have been strong.  The luxury condominium market has been soft and has tended to be what grabs headlines.  The co-working space business is booming.  What should be underlined is that New York is so big that it cannot be thought of as one market.  The Tri-State area is home to 25 million; that is more than the population of Australia.  Hence, my usual answer to this question is: ‘it depends who you ask’.

What do you predict for the future?

From a real estate perspective solely, I am a firm believer in New York City.  The Big Apple will keep being a magnet for talent and creativity.  It is the number 1 beneficiary of globalization and the worldwide urban-revival movement.  While some parts of the market are soft, the long-term trend remains very positive.  Demographically, New York City has been over its 2020 population growth estimates for two years already.

More relevant to the context of the French-American Foundation, the French-American relationship has an opening to develop into the pillar axis of the Western World.  Both the French and American presidents come from a non-establishment background and were voted into office through elections driven primarily by discontent.  None is aligned with a historically prominent party.  These overall circumstances might have contributed to their apparently good relationship.  I can foresee it becoming more prominent as it develops, especially as no other leader in Europe seemed to have formed deep ties with the leadership of the United States.

What is the aspect of your profession that you enjoy the most?

I created Proteus Capital Management from humble beginnings during the Financial Crisis.  It has grown into a leading property owner in Brooklyn and elsewhere.  When you are fortunate enough to create your own career and life, it is hard to not feel passionate about what you do.

If I had to name one thing, I would say that the human aspect of real estate is the most captivating.  Our industry attracts an immense diversity of backgrounds, with one common denominator: being highly entrepreneurial, which is a prerequisite.  Throughout interactions with these peers, along as providing housing and overseeing our tenants’ living environments, one learns fascinating things about human nature.  It never ceases to amaze me.