Ryan Theodore
Before deciding to join IE University’s Global Master in Real Estate Development, I already had extensive experience in the architecture industry, working in Australia, the UK and most recently, Qatar. To broaden the breadth of my experience and education, I needed to turn my attention to further education to focus on the bigger picture, which is why IE University appealed to me.
"If I could sum up the program in one word it would be “enriching.” The teaching, the variety of subjects, and the diverse nature of your classmates make this program special."
Joining the architectural dots
Ryan is a strong believer in continual education, and professional and personal development. With this in mind, after two decades of architecture experience and further education at MIT and LSE, Ryan decided to enroll in IE School of Architecture and Design and join the Global Master in Real Estate Development. He’s hoping the program will help him to move forwards in his career path, by providing him with a holistic view of real estate through the breadth of learning opportunities.
He chose IE University due to the unique relationship between the architecture and business schools, the blended nature of the program’s delivery, and the rich diversity of its students. This rich diversity is something that has been particularly useful to his studies. Ryan says he is learning from people from all different walks of life, with all kinds of professional backgrounds, experience levels and differing points of view, as well as learning from the curriculum itself.
His own background is no exception. Before joining IE University, and after training and then working as an architect in Australia, Ryan decided to make the move to London. In London, he worked for David Chipperfield and the real estate development fund Qatari Diar, among other architectural firms. After 14 years in the UK, Ryan moved to Qatar, where he is currently working as the director of the Hamad Medical Corporation.
“The networking opportunities at IE University lead to a very diverse, international classroom, learning with people from architecture, finance, and accounting backgrounds. This leads to healthy and interesting classroom discussion!”
This wealth of experience allows him to provide his own unique perspective in classroom discussions. The networking opportunities he has received through his time in the program have allowed him to meet seasoned developers during a trip to Mexico. This included meeting the President of Mexico & Colombia world-leading real estate company CBRE, and face-to-face sessions with Leticia Ponz, Head of Union Investment Real Estate Spanish office, a highly respected real estate professional, entrepreneur and asset manager, who is also professor in GMRED and MRED at the school.
Looking to the future, Ryan is interested in the role that all participating professionals contribute in architecture, and how all the dots are joined between investment, development, and asset management of projects. He believes that traditional architects can’t grasp the commercial realities of projects or the essential business element of developments.
Ryan concludes by saying that a modern architectural professional needs skills and understanding that will enable them to play a pivotal role in both the business and architectural sides of real estate developments. The Global Master in Real Estate Development will, he concludes, equip him with those skills.
