ULI appoints BlackRock's Simon Durkin as new European CEO

The Urban Land Institute (ULI) has announced the appointment of Simon Durkin as its new CEO for Europe, taking over from Lisette van Doorn in early March 2026.

Simon Durkin

Durkin joins ULI from BlackRock, where he served as global head of Real Estate Research and Strategy. 
He succeeds Lisette van Doorn, who recently departed ULI after more than ten years of leadership, during which she built a strong team and significantly elevated ULI Europe's profile, influence, and member engagement. Durkin and van Doorn have a history of collaboration over the past two decades, including on key real estate research and data initiatives.
Durkin brings over twenty years of experience in real estate, applied research, and capital markets, having held senior leadership and investment committee roles at BlackRock, BNP Paribas, and DWS, as well as earlier experience in data and index development at IPD and PPR. 
He will also join the senior leadership team of Angela Cain, ULI's Global CEO, to ensure that ULI's European operations are fully integrated into a strong global membership platform that champions best practices in the built environment.
Durkin will continue to work closely with Anne Kavanagh, ULI Europe Chair and ULI Global Board Member, and the ULI Europe Executive Committee. Additionally, he will collaborate with the Chairs of ULI Europe’s 15 National Councils, 14 Product Councils, and the Young Leader and NEXT groups to strengthen membership value and foster growth.
Upcoming priorities include the ULI Europe Conference in Berlin in June, the launch of the ULI/PWC Emerging Trends in Real Estate Global Outlook 2026 at MIPIM, further development of the ULI Accelerator (which connects the industry with innovative proptech solutions for environmental and social impact), and the introduction of the C Change Preserve tool to help investment professionals quantify the impacts of the net-zero transition on real estate valuations.
Simon Durkin said: “ULI Europe is built on a strong foundation and has an increasingly important role to play as the real estate and built environment evolve amid structural, macroeconomic and geopolitical change. My priority is to work closely with the team, building on the legacy Lisette has created, ensuring ULI continues to adapt while remaining a trusted, credible and valuable resource for our members.”
Anne Kavanagh, European chair and Global Board member, ULI, added: “Simon brings deep industry knowledge, commercial understanding and a collaborative leadership style that will serve ULI Europe and its members well. He is both innovative and engaging, and I look forward to working closely with him as we build on the strong foundation established under Lisette’s leadership and continue to deliver value for our members across Europe.”