Safehold appoints Trachtenberg as president

Manhattan, NY Safehold Inc. the creator and leader of the modern ground lease industry, has appointed Michael Trachtenberg, a real estate industry veteran with more than two decades of operational experience, as president of the company. In this role, Trachtenberg will oversee operations and execution across the business, working directly with Safehold’s chief executive officer Jay Sugarman.

Trachtenberg joins Safehold from Lubert-Adler, a multibillion-dollar real estate fund manager, where he most recently served as president. He was a key member of the firm’s senior leadership team involved in a wide range of real estate initiatives, including new investments, portfolio management, investor engagement and key operational functions. During his nearly 20 years at Lubert-Adler, Trachtenberg invested across many major U.S. real estate markets and asset classes, including multifamily, retail, hotel and mixed-use properties. He was instrumental in structuring complex joint ventures, recapitalizations and portfolio acquisitions.

Prior to joining Lubert-Adler in 2005, Trachtenberg worked as an analyst at Merrill Lynch, where he gained experience in real estate finance, capital markets and structured transactions. 

He graduated from New York University’s Stern School of Business with a B.S. in Accounting and Finance.

“Michael is a sophisticated, results-driven operator with deep expertise in institutional real estate investment management,” said Jay Sugarman, chairman and chief executive officer of Safehold. “He joins at a time when the Company has a growing opportunity set, and property owners are increasingly recognizing the strategic and financial benefits of modern ground lease structures. With the mission-critical skillsets Michael brings, we are confident that he will help fuel Safehold’s next stage of growth, revolutionizing real estate ownership and driving long-term value for our shareholders.”

Stefan Selig, Safehold’s lead director, said, “We are delighted to welcome Michael as Safehold’s President. This appointment is the result of an extensive search process conducted by the Board, in which Michael’s track record of driving growth, improving performance and creating operational excellence stood out. The board is highly confident that Michael’s leadership, real estate experience and relationships will add immediate value, and that he will play a significant role in guiding Safehold’s next phase of growth.”

“Safehold has established itself as the pioneer and standard-bearer in the ground lease market, with a best-in-class portfolio, strong customer brand and a balance sheet that creates significant competitive advantages,” said Trachtenberg. “I look forward to working closely with Jay and the team at Safehold to execute on our strategic priorities and deliver attractive risk-adjusted returns.”