In this in-depth interview, John Carrafiell, Co-Chief Executive Officer of BGO, reflects on his journey from working construction with his father to becoming a global leader in real estate investment. He recounts his early years at Morgan Stanley, the founding of GreenOak Real Estate, and its merger with Bentall Kennedy to form BGO. Carrafiell shares insights into the co-CEO model he shares with Sonny Kalsi, emphasizing mutual respect, trust, and complementary strengths as critical to their success. His career has been guided by an entrepreneurial spirit, which continues to shape BGO’s strategic direction.
Carrafiell also delves into BGO’s mission of being disciplined stewards of institutional capital while creating inclusive, sustainable environments for employees and communities. He discusses BGO’s investment focus on mission-critical infrastructure like cold storage and data centers, and how proprietary data analytics provide a competitive edge. With a global footprint across 27 cities and a culture driven by mentorship, innovation, and excellence, Carrafiell describes a firm grounded in purpose and performance, committed to shaping communities and delivering value for investors.