Role and Company

Global Head of Real Estate, MetLife Investment Management

Expertise

38 years experience in real estate

Location

Whippany, NJ

About robert

Robert Merck is a senior managing director and global head of real estate and
agricultural finance in the Investments Department of MetLife Inc. In this role, Robert is
responsible for managing the $100 billion commercial mortgage and equity real estate
portfolio, as well as its $20 billion agricultural investments portfolio. In this capacity, he
oversees a staff of approximately 300 investment professionals, both domestic and
international.

Robert started his career with MetLife in 1982 and has served in various capacities in real estate investments. Since assuming overall responsibility for the real estate and
agricultural portfolios, Robert has implemented strategic initiatives and a risk
management focus that have strengthened the portfolios, raised the profile of the
franchise and positively impacted the financial results of the business. Under Robert, the commercial and agricultural mortgage portfolios have more than doubled in size and the platforms have expanded internationally. Under his leadership, MetLife has diversified its real estate equity portfolio, in part through the $5.4 billion sale of Peter Cooper Village / Stuyvesant Town, one of the largest real estate transactions in history. In addition, Robert was responsible for launching the firm’s new investment management business in 2012.

Robert received a B.B.A. degree from Emory University where he graduated with highest honors and earned his M.B.A from Georgia State University.

Robert is Executive Sponsor of MetLife’s Military Veterans Network. He also serves on the Real Estate Advisory Board of the Emory Goizueta Business School, is a Trustee of the Urban Land Institute and serves on the Boards of Directors of the Real Estate Roundtable.