Blackstone announced this week that Kathleen McCarthy, global co-head of Blackstone Real Estate, will step down from the firm at the end of the year after an impactful 15-year tenure. As Chair of The Real Estate Roundtable (RER), she will continue to lead the organization’s policy agenda, member engagement and industry outreach. (Bloomberg | CoStar, Nov. 11)

• McCarthy said: “It is a privilege to serve as chair of The Real Estate Roundtable and work positively alongside industry leaders I deeply respect. I look forward to continuing to do so as the next chapter in my professional career evolves.”

• Jeffrey DeBoer, RER President and CEO, stated, “Kathleen’s leadership of The Roundtable will continue to strengthen our advocacy program, enhance service to our membership, and deliver positive national policy results for the industry.”

Next on RER’s meeting calendar is the all-member State of the Industry (SOI) Meeting, which will include policy advisory committee sessions, on January 21–22, 2026, in Washington, DC.