Jeff Blau

Despite being one of the biggest real estate players in the country, Blau was overlooked for a time because the CEO he succeeded at the Related Companies, Stephen Ross, was such a giant in the industry.

For years after Blau took the helm in 2012, media relations people at Related would sometimes politely remind journalists to credit its moves to Blau, not Ross.

No longer. Blau, a Queens native who joined Related in 1990, has put his own stamp on the company, completing the first half of Hudson Yards — then the largest private development in the U.S. — and navigating it through the pandemic by repositioning some struggling components.

Then he got the second half started with a cleverly orchestrated rezoning, overcoming political and community opposition by dropping a proposed casino and adding rental housing — and getting a $2 billion PILOTs deal to boot.

In between the two Hudson Yards phases, he partnered with a nonprofit to buy from the FDIC a $5.8 billion chunk of rent-regulated debt originated by the failed Signature Bank, despite not making the lowest bid. Blau has also moved the company into other asset classes, notably renewable energy and data centers.

His FDIC deal, Hudson Yards rezoning and pandemic pivot showcased political and real estate skills reminiscent of Blau’s predecessor. What was his name again?