Ratkovich’s COO Clare DeBriere steps down

Clare DeBriere (Credit: Urban Land Institute)
Clare DeBriere (Credit: Urban Land Institute)

Clare DeBriere, the chief operating officer of Ratkovich Company, has abruptly left the firm after 26 years.

She will remain involved through the company’s board of advisors, Bisnow reported. Brian Saenger, the vice president of acquisitions and corporate counsel, took her role as of the new year.

DeBriere played an integral role in the ongoing development of the Bloc in Downtown L.A., as well as the the Hercules Campus at Playa Vista and 5900 Wilshire. She joined the Ratkovich in 1991 as a summer intern.  She’s also part of the advisory group for the Urban Land Institute.

Sign Up for the undefined Newsletter

“We were able to build an incredible team of professionals who produced remarkable, wonderful places for people,” she told Bisnow. For the next three or four months, DeBriere plans to travel with her husband.

The Bloc has been having financial troubles and — despite technically opening — has mostly vacant storefronts. After its CMBS loan was transferred to a special servicer, Ratkovich obtained a $225 million loan to refinance the 1.1 million-square-foot mixed-use project, The Real Deal reported in April. [Bisnow]Cathaleen Chen