Real Estate Challenge Participants – Where Are They Now? Featuring Xinyi McKinny
Xinyi McKinny is a former architect with a passion for helping clients visualize the potential of a property. As Senior Managing Director at Cushman & Wakefield, she oversees China direct real estate investment and development projects in the Bay Area and Los Angeles markets. She is responsible for driving new business opportunities with Chinese investor and occupier clients in investment sales and agency leasing as well as project and development services. McKinny spearheads China – US Inbound Investment Capital Watch research, and has been quoted in Forbes, Bloomberg, The Real Deal, Bisnow, San Francisco Business Times, Silicon Valley Business Journal, The Registry and Connect Media. “I am excited by the chance to make a difference for my company and my clients,” she said. “My role specifically enables Cushman & Wakefield to connect effectively and consistently with this expanding segment of the investor and occupier communities. I work on something different everyday which makes my career fun and exciting!”
A great example of her high level of contribution was landing the coveted leasing assignment for Oceanwide Center, a spectacular, one million square foot high-rise in San Francisco. When she and her team pitched the business in 2017, the unique combination of McKinny’s language skills, cultural understanding, architectural knowledge and business acumen helped her team secure the listing.
McKinny kick started her real estate career after several years of practicing architecture when she participated in the 2015 NAIOP SFBA Real Estate Challenge on the winning Cal team. She and her teammates were complimented by the jury for the creativity of their proposal which entailed a permanently moored historic ship at Fort Mason’s Pier One.
Participating in the Challenge helped me understand the development process comprehensively and gave me valuable insight to real estate practices,” said McKinny. “Plus, it provided me with outstanding professional connections.
After completing the challenge, McKinny stayed an active member and is currently Co-Chair of the Behind-the-Scenes Committee and participates in NAIOP Young Professionals Group (YPG) Alumni committee. “My involvement in NAIOP has been essential to my professional development,” she said. “I plan to leverage all the incredible benefits NAIOP provides throughout the rest of my career.”
McKinny recommends that young professionals who are getting started in the business take the time to pause, breathe and reflect. “Life is busy, especially at the early stages of our careers,” she said. “It is very easy to get extremely busy and lose the path we have set. It is important to collect ourselves and be present to what we have learned before continuing with the journey ahead.”
On the personal front, McKinny grew up in Qingdao, China (where Tsingtao Beer is produced). She currently lives in San Jose with her husband Reed and two sons, four year old Chandler and 2 year old Chapman as well as their dog Chewbacca. “In my precious spare time I most enjoy spending time with my family,” she said. “We love skiing, camping, traveling and cooking.”
