Ioane Menabde

From urban planning to feasibility analysis and development financing, Ioane Menabde has done it all. The Georgian national has extensive experience in the real estate sector, spanning more than seven years. With the unprecedented scale and pace of urbanization in modern cities, he is invested in the future of real estate development.

Ioane’s past is filled with many successes. He has worked as a consultant for Colliers International Georgia, the local branch of one of the biggest real estate services companies in the world. He has also worked for TBC Bank, the leading commercial and investment bank in Georgia. Here, he built up his skills in real estate analysis and financing, feasibility analysis, and economic analysis of different real estate asset classes. This experience inevitably led to choosing to apply for the Master in Real Estate Development program.

According to Ioane, “real estate is currently becoming more customer-centric.” This means that industry professionals have to stay up-to-date with the latest trends and best practices from around the world. He explains that he decided on this program to update his skill set and gain knowledge of the latest trends in real estate, believing that this essential step will give him a competitive advantage in an ever-evolving industry. Ioane was also looking to take advantage of the university’s extensive professional network and “engage with top professionals from Spain and around Europe.”

“Modern real estate and city-making is vital due to the unprecedented scale and pace of urbanization in cities around the world.”

Describing the program as invaluable for his career, Ioane believes it will give him the opportunity to fill in the gaps in his skill set and prepare him for the challenges that cities will face in the future. Furthermore, Ioane explains that interacting with leading real estate professionals—including both his classmates and professors—has allowed him to absorb practical knowledge. He goes deeper and adds that working alongside industry veterans, some of whom have 20 to 30 years of experience in the sector, has been a great asset for many young professionals.

Ioane touches on their study trips, saying that they “are an amazing opportunity to apply the theoretical knowledge gained in the classroom” in the real world. In Barcelona, the class met different real estate stakeholders, including city officials and investment companies. Being able to listen to them and ask questions has helped him further develop his professional persona. Ioane looks forward to more opportunities to travel, with the next study trips slated to include Berlin and Hamburg. He is particularly interested in the Hafencity project in Hamburg. This is one of the largest regeneration projects in Europe and it will give him a behind-the-scenes look at how development projects run at this scale, as well as how they affect the surrounding communities and the city in general.

When asked to define the program in one word, Ioane confidently declares “360 degrees.” He explains that it gives students a holistic, 360-degree view of the real estate development process. It has equipped him with the knowledge required to move a development through each stage of its life cycle, right from inception to the completion of the project. His advice for future students is to stay engaged in class activities as this will help you get the most out of the program.