Greystone appoints Hafize Gaye Erkan as CEO

Greystone appoints Hafize Gaye Erkan as CEO
Gaye Erkan

Greystone has appointed Hafize Gaye Erkan as its Chief Executive Officer (CEO), effective immediately.

Her executive responsibilities will commence in September 2022. Gaye Erkan will report to Steve Rosenberg, who will continue to serve as the Executive Chairman of the Board.

Erkan most recently served as Co-CEO, President and Board Member at publicly traded First Republic Bank, where she helped deliver substantial growth in wealth management, deposits, and total assets.

Prior to joining First Republic, Erkan was the Head of Financial Institutions Group Analytics and Strategies for Goldman Sachs, where she worked for nearly a decade advising financial institution Boards of Directors and executive management teams.

Steve Rosenberg said: “I am thrilled to welcome Gaye to our firm to drive the next generation of investment and innovation as we pursue strategic growth opportunities, both organically and through acquisitions. She is an inspiring and visionary leader with a successful track record in financial services spanning two decades. She shares our ideals of caring for employees, partners, and clients, and giving back to our communities, and I am excited to partner with her to lead Greystone into a new phase of growth. Together, our ambition is to continue building a world-class organization whose commitment to its clients and employees is second to none.”

Erkan and Rosenberg will partner closely to execute on a two-part joint vision for the next phase of Greystone’s growth, said Greystone.

”First, they will accelerate Greystone’s core commercial and multifamily real estate lending and capital markets business, through investments in technology, operations, and people. This will include continued commitment to Greystone’s strategic joint venture with Cushman & Wakefield. Second, leveraging Greystone’s client-centric approach, they will expand the business into adjacent financial services, including expanded lending products, and private wealth management, as well as real estate and fintech fund management.”

Erkan and Rosenberg are also exploring private banking and residential mortgage lending opportunities, the company said.

“I am honored to become CEO at this exciting moment in Greystone’s history and to serve our clients, partners, and dedicated colleagues. I look forward to utilizing my expertise in banking and wealth management to expand Greystone into new areas of financial services and build on the Company’s strong foundation in real estate finance,” Gaye Erkan said. “Steve has built an impressive business that does well by doing good, and it is my privilege to work alongside him and Greystone’s very talented leadership team to further that legacy and maintain a people-first culture.”

Gaye Erkan is a proven financial services leader with deep expertise in banking, investments, risk management, technology, and digital innovation. She spent nearly eight years at First Republic Bank, in roles including Co-Chief Executive Officer, President, Board Member, Chief Investment Officer, Chief Deposit Officer, and Co-Chief Risk Officer.

Previously, she spent almost a decade at Goldman Sachs. As Managing Director and Head of Financial Institutions Group Analytics and Strategies, Erkan advised the Boards and executive management teams of large U.S. banks and insurance companies on balance sheet management, stress testing and capital planning, risk management, and M&A.

In March 2022 Erkan joined the Board of Directors at Fortune 500 firm Marsh McLennan, and she served on the Board of Directors for Tiffany & Co. from 2019 through the company’s acquisition by LVMH in 2021. She also serves on the Advisory Council for the Princeton University Operations Research and Financial Engineering Department.

In 2019, she was named to Crain’s list of Notable Women in Banking and Finance, and American Banker’s Women to Watch list. In 2018, she was named to San Francisco Business Times’ 40 Under 40 and Crain New York Business’ 40 Under 40 lists. According to San Francisco Business Times’ research in 2018, she was the only woman under 40 holding a President or CEO title at America’s 100 largest banks.

Erkan serves on the Board of Directors for the Partnership for New York City and is an active supporter of the National Coalition of Girl’s Schools. She is the founder of the Hafize Gaye Erkan First Republic Fellowship Program, a first-of-its kind program that guides young women from underserved backgrounds to a purpose-driven life through STEM education, mentorship, and professional development. She is also a member of the Young Presidents’ Organization, the Council on Foreign Relations, and the International Women’s Forum.

Gaye Erkan graduated as valedictorian of Boğaziçi University in Turkey with a B.S. in Industry Engineering and earned a Ph.D. in Operations Research and Financial Engineering from Princeton University. She is a graduate of Harvard Business School’s Advanced Management Program and the Stanford Graduate School of Business Executive Program in Leadership.