During this episode of Leading Voices in Real Estate, Matt interviews Alan Gold, Executive Chairman of IQHQ, a start-up real estate company serving the life sciences industry. The episode serves as a continued exploration of different niches within the real estate business — serving the biotech/life sciences field requires unique knowledge and relationships and brings a special set of challenges as well as opportunities. Alan is a serial entrepreneur, having been a co-founder of Alexandria Real Estate Equities and then the founder and CEO of BioMed Realty Trust (and its predecessor), which sold to Blackstone in 2016. He is now the Executive Chairman of both IQHQ, started in February of this year, as well as of Innovative Industrial Properties, the only NYSE cannabis REIT. In addition to drilling down on the life sciences real estate business, Matt and Alan talk about the benefits of specialization and of “bringing the band back together” in his companies.

Prior to IQHQ, Alan founded Innovative Industrial Properties, Inc. in 2016, the first publicly-traded REIT that provides real estate capital to the medical-use cannabis industry, and he currently serves as its Executive Chairman, a position he has held since its formation. Paul Smithers, CEO of Innovative Industrial Properties, was on Leading Voices in 2019.

Additionally, Alan served as Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer of BioMed, a REIT specializing in acquiring, leasing, developing and managing laboratory and office space for the life science industry, from its inception in 2004 through the sale of the company to Blackstone in January 2016. Alan also served as Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer of BioMed’s privately-held predecessor, Bernardo Property Advisors, Inc., from 1998 until 2004. In addition, Alan was a co-founder and served as President and a director of Alexandria, an urban office REIT, from its predecessor’s inception in 1994 until 1998. Alan served as Managing Partner of GoldStone Real Estate Finance and Investments, a partnership engaged in the real estate and mortgage business, from 1989 to 1994.

Alan currently serves as a member of the board of trustees for the Salk Institute for Biological Studies, a research organization dedicated to fundamental research in biology and its relation to health. Alan received his Bachelor of Science Degree in Business Administration and his Master of Business Administration from San Diego State University.