Rick Caruso’s firm poaches NBCUniversal’s chief real estate development officer

Rick Caruso’s development firm has hired Corinne Verdery from NBCUniversal, The Real Deal has learned.

Formerly NBC’s chief real estate development officer, she is now executive vice president of development at Caruso Affiliated. Verdery will oversee Caruso’s entitlements, community relations, design and construction — and she plans to dramatically expand the company’s footprint.

“My focus is to double the size of the company and Caruso’s offerings in Southern California, “ she told TRD. “I look forward to being instrumental in the way Caruso approaches the next generation of development.”

Before NBC, Verdery was the senior vice president of Beny Alagem’s Oasis West Realty. She oversaw real estate development and helped the firm’s plan for the Waldorf Astoria and two condominium towers get approved. The process involved 19 public hearings and a voter referendum. Oasis is now trying to amend that plan to merge the approved towers into one 26-story structure via ballot initiative. 

Caruso Affiliated also recently tried to pass a development by ballot measure. The developer spent $12 million in less than a year on efforts to get voters and city officials in San Diego’s Carlsbad to approve a 27-acre shopping, retail and open space project, according to the San Diego Union Tribune. It was the most expensive ballot measure in San Diego history — but voters rejected the project in a special election in February.