Walter Torous named executive director of MIT Center for Real Estate

Walter Torous, senior lecturer in the MIT Department of Urban Studies and Planning (DUSP) and the MIT Sloan School of Management, and director of the Master of Science in Real Estate Development Program (MSRED), was recently named executive director of the MIT Center for Real Estate (CRE) — effective July 1, 2026.

In announcing Torous’ appointment, School of Architecture and Planning Dean Hashim Sarkis also said that Justin Steil, professor of law and urban planning, will represent CRE as faculty chair of the Academic Curriculum Council.

“Together, Walter and Justin will guide CRE’s academic and strategic direction as it continues to strengthen its role within our school and the Institute,” Sarkis said. “Their appointments reflect the center’s distinctive position at the intersection of finance, design, planning, technology, and public policy — and its long-standing commitment to understanding real estate not only as a market force, but also as a driver of urban transformation and social change.”

As executive director, Torous will lead the CRE’s teaching, consortium activities, fundraising, and major events, while continuing to direct the MSRED program. He will also oversee the center’s staff, budget, and strategic direction, and work closely with Steil on the continuing evolution of CRE’s academic programs and industry engagement.

His appointment as executive director follows the tenure of STL Champion Professor Siqi Zheng, who served as CRE faculty director from July 2020 to June 2026.

Before coming to MIT in 2013, Torous was a professor at the Anderson School of Management at the University of California at Los Angeles and founding director of its Ziman Center for Real Estate. In addition to those positions, he also has held faculty appointments at the University of Michigan and the London Business School.