Jorge M. Pérez

Chairman & CEO, Related Group of Florida

Bio Current as of April 28, 2017

Jorge M. Pérez is the founder, Chairman and CEO of The Related Group, America’s leading developer of sophisticated metropolitan living and the largest multi-family real estate development firm. In August of 2005, TIME Magazine named Mr. Pérez, one of top 25 most influential Hispanics in the United States.

Under his direction, The Related Group has redefined the South Florida landscape. Since its inception, more than a quarter of a century ago, the firm has built and/or managed more than 60,000 apartments and condominium residences. The Related Group is Florida’s top multi-family developer and the largest Hispanic-owned business in the United States. In 2007, the company reported sales of more than $1.5 billion; its current portfolio represents assets under development of more than $10.7 billion.

While The Related Group is best known for its luxury high-rise developments and visionary mixed-use urban centers, Pérez made his first impact on South Florida’s affordable housing market. He started out in the late 1970s, building in neighborhoods like Miami’s Little Havana and Homestead. Even then, his attention to detail and commitment to creating quality living environments distinguished him within the marketplace.

Pérez has been at the forefront of South Florida urban evolution, often being the first developer to enter emerging or undiscovered neighborhoods. Among the Related Group’s most recognized properties in South Florida are Portofino Tower, Murano at Portofino and Murano Grande, a trio of luxury high-rises that helped define a hot, new emerging neighborhood on South Beach. In West Palm Beach, The Courtyards in CityPlace and The Tower Condominium at CityPlace have added a dynamic residential element to the shopping and entertainment center in the heart of this city. And in Miami, Pérez helped lead the new downtown urbanism movement, developing One Miami on one of the last pieces of waterfront land at the intersection of the Miami River and Biscayne Bay. He is also part of the transformation of Sunny Isles from a sleepy seaside town into a chic waterfront address, with the luxurious condominiums of Ocean I, II, III and IV and the three Trump Towers as well as the newest, luxury oceanfront condominium, Trump Hollywood.

In June of 2007, Pérez ventured into the international real estate market by launching the first Related International project, Icon Vallarta in Puerto Vallarta. Icon Vallarta’s incredible sell-out success has paved the way for other projects inside and outside of Mexico. Related International will invest more than $1 billion in real estate in Mexico alone, with plans to erect upscale condominiums and hotels in other tourist locations such as Acapulco, Cabo San Lucas, Playa del Carmen and Zihuatanejo. Beyond Mexico, Pérez is researching other great Latin American destinations such as Panama, Argentina, Uruguay, and the Caribbean.

His passion for vibrant urban centers is reflected in his community involvement in the arts and cultural affairs. An avid collector of Latin American art, he serves on the Board of Directors of Miami Art Museum, and is spearheading the capital campaign for its new Museum Park location in Miami’s Bicentennial Park. Pérez also serves a vice-chair on the Miami-Dade Cultural Affairs Council and is a director of the Miami Film Festival. He also serves on the Board of the Miami Downtown Development Authority. Pérez is a member of the University of Miami’s Board of Trustees. The University’s new architecture center, Jorge M. Perez, Architecture Center, designed by Leon Krier made its debut in the fall of 2005. Similarly, the Miami Wellness Center has been named after Pérez and his wife Darlene.

He has received numerous awards for his professional and philanthropic achievements, including Builder of the Year, from Multifamily Executive; Ernst & Young’s Entrepreneur of the Year; the Hispanic Achievement & Business Entrepreneurship Award from Hispanic Magazine; Champion of the Community Spirit Award from The Wellness Community; Citizen of the Year from The Miami Beach Chamber of Commerce; Sand In My Shoes Award from the Greater Miami Chamber of Commerce for his commitment to the South Florida community, and Developer of the Year from several other associations and publications. Most recently, Mr. Perez was awarded the Icon in Real Estate Award of Excellence at MIPIM in Cannes, France; the only American developer ever to have been honored with such a prestigious award. In June of 2007, Mr. Perez received the National Building Museum Award in Washington D.C. for his contribution to design and architecture and was recently feted in London receiving the International Property Award for Icon Brickell. In 2008, Perez published his first business bestseller, Powerhouse Principles: The Billionaire Blueprint for Real Estate Success.

Pérez was born in Buenos Aires, Argentina to Cuban parents. He graduated from C.W. Post College, summa cum laude, received a Masters in Urban Planning, with highest honors, from the University of Michigan. In 2008, he was awarded an honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters from C.W. Post, Long Island University and received the 2008 Distinguished Alumnus Award from the University of Michigan. Perez is married and has four children.