Vanessa Grout leaves Ugo Colombo’s firm to lead OKO Group’s real estate arm

OKO has four projects in the Miami area and the Crown Building conversion in NY

Vanessa Grout with Vladislav Doronin
Vanessa Grout with Vladislav Doronin

Vanessa Grout joined Vladislav Doronin’s OKO Group as CEO of OKO Real Estate, overseeing sales and marketing of the company’s projects in Miami and New York, The Real Deal has learned.

Grout left Miami-based CMC Group, the real estate firm founded by Ugo Colombo, after more than six years as president. In October, CMC completed Brickell Flatiron, a 64-story, 527-unit luxury condo tower, that marked the company’s largest project this cycle.

As CEO of the newly formed venture OKO Real Estate, Grout will expand OKO Group’s sales and marketing for its four projects in the Miami area and one in Manhattan, as well as others in the pipeline. The firm is headquartered in Miami and New York.

OKO is among the more active developers currently in the Miami market, with condo developments Una Residences in Brickell and Missoni Baia in Edgewater, and the office tower 830 Brickell all under construction. South Florida’s condo market has slowed down in recent years, with fewer projects launching sales and breaking ground.

Doronin is also partnering with billionaire Len Blavatnik on the first Aman-branded hotel and condo development in the Faena District in Miami Beach. Doronin is chairman and CEO of Aman, a luxury hotel group based in Singapore.

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Grout said her new position gives her a more global focus and she is excited to work on projects in both markets.

In New York, OKO is redeveloping the upper portion of the Crown Building into Aman New York, a luxury hotel and condo project.

CMC now has one project in the pipeline, a 40-unit condo building in Bay Harbor Islands that it’s developing with Valerio Morabito. Brickell Flatiron is 98 percent sold, according to a spokesperson.

CMC said in a statement that, “We are happy that Vanessa is moving on with her career.”

Prior to CMC, Grout worked for Douglas Elliman as CEO of the Florida brokerage, preceding Jay Parker.