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Rob Palter

Senior Partner, and Managing Partner, CanadaToronto

Specializes in helping clients identify real estate investment opportunities and strategically manage real estate assets

Robert is the managing partner of McKinsey’s Canadian office and the global coleader of McKinsey’s real estate efforts. He works with real estate clients along the value chain, such as investors or real estate investment trusts, developers, operators, and real estate service firms on issues of strategy, organization, operations, capital project execution, and advanced analytics.

Examples of his recent client work include the following:

  • helping a North American shopping mall landlord develop its strategy in response to e-commerce
  • supporting a leading senior living company in developing and launching a new digital offering
  • partnering with a North American developer to improve the cost and schedule performance of a $3 billion real estate project
  • supporting an Asian real estate developer on its US entry strategy
  • leading an effort with a global institutional investor to develop its entry strategy into data centers

In 2005, the Globe and Mail named Rob one of Canada’s “Top 40 Under 40,” an award presented to citizens who are outstanding leaders in their chosen fields.

Published work

Empty spaces and hybrid places: The pandemic’s lasting impact on real estate,” McKinsey Global Institute, July 2023

In the near term, commercial real estate may not hedge inflation,” McKinsey & Company, May 2023

Making modular construction fit,” McKinsey & Company, May 2023

Americans are embracing flexible work—and they want more of it,” McKinsey & Company, June 2022

Proposed climate rule signals new era for real estate,” McKinsey & Company, June 2022

Workplace real estate in the COVID-19 era: From cost center to competitive advantage,” McKinsey & Company, May 2022

Reimagining the future of financial-services headquarters,” McKinsey & Company, May 2022

Designing the workplace of tomorrow: lessons from life sciences,” blog entry, McKinsey & Company, March 2022

The workplace will never be the same: Imperatives for real-estate owners and operators,” McKinsey & Company, April 2021

Reimagining the office and work life after COVID-19,” McKinsey & Company, June 2020

Commercial real estate must do more than merely adapt to coronavirus,” McKinsey & Company, April 2020

Fine-tuning the growth engine: M&A in engineering and construction,” McKinsey & Company, June 2019

Modular construction: From projects to products,” McKinsey & Company, June 2019

High stakes: How investors can manage risk in the new infrastructure environment,” McKinsey & Company, June 2018 

Education

University of Western Ontario
MBA

University of Toronto
BA, international relations