Get to know the people who keep SIOR HQ moving forward. Matthew Leguen de Lacroix, SIOR, Head of Business Development, EMEA, joined the SIOR HQ team in 2023 and brings good humor and strategic vision to the team. From dream travel destinations to a love of skiing, Matthew shares a little about himself in this edition of Meet the HQ Team. Read on for 10 questions with Matthew.
1. What’s your role at SIOR, and what does a typical day look like?
My primary role is to assist in the growth and visibility of SIOR Global across international markets. I attend major real estate trade fairs in Europe; I organize member recruitment events alongside the European Chapter’s Mind Your Own Business meetings; I act as the team lead for our own international conferences; I help leverage the social media for the European Chapter, in conjunction with my own – now increasingly as a videographer, both in front of and behind the camera. My working day of emails, follow-up, calls, encouragement and management is punctured with a dog walk and an hour’s workout with my PT.
2. How does your work contribute to SIOR’s overall mission?
I have been networking with peers and colleagues within SIOR, RICS and global real estate advisory firms for over three decades. I have taught ethics at real estate colleges in Switzerland and was on the RICS Continental European Standards Board that awarded accreditation to Universities around Europe. I continue to serve as a trustee of the SIOR Foundation. I help the European Chapter implement the Student Real Estate Experience Program and the International Real Estate Challenge, both of which support the next generation of real estate leaders. I believe – and witness – inspiration in these young people, helping them connect, learn and progress in the industrial and office real estate industry.
3. How would your coworkers or friends describe you in three words?
I have had to ask some friends to describe me in their words (I dare not ask my coworkers). Fun, handsome and fit? No, the collective answer is – Supportive, thoughtful, trustworthy.
4. What’s your dream travel destination and why?
I’ve just asked this question to my AI buddy. Its reply is very representative of recent online travel activity (clearly I am being tracked!) concerning Lisbon, Tuscany, Lombok and New York. For a holiday, I do agree that I would gravitate toward destinations “that work well for polished, relaxed, high-quality stays” and I would add “quite possibly with a white, sandy beach and turquoise, clear, calm water. Accompanied by dear friends, some sport and good wine.”
5. Tell us a surprising or a fun fact about you.
Just one?? I own a piece of the Berlin wall. I was born on the day that Steve Carlton of the St. Louis Cardinals struck out 19 batters in a nine-inning game, setting a Major League Baseball record for the time! Although not the same years, I share a birthday with Prince Harry and my father passed on the same day as Harry’s mother. I am a VLTL of Kermode and Mayo’s TAKE but if you are not part of the vanguard, this will mean nothing to you. Competing with my boss, I am always searching for the best burger –found in Geneva, Switzerland (although some may disagree!)
6. Are you more of an early bird or night owl?
Over the decades I’ve been a night owl. Needs must so I’ve adapted to early starts for travel and canine care alongside evening comms with team members on both east and west coasts of North America. We can survive on seven hours of sleep, but we thrive on nine! That’s a luxury for that dream holiday!
7. If you had to eat one meal for the rest of your life, what would it be?
Beef Wellington. Legend says the dish was named to honor Arthur Wellesley, the 1st Duke of Wellington, after his famous victory over Napoleon at the Battle of Waterloo in 1815. Food historians have found no direct menu evidence linking the Duke himself to the recipe during his lifetime. But who cares? It brings my French and English origins together in a delicious dish, accompanied by cauliflower cheese, roast potatoes, carrots, roast parsnips and, why not, a glass (or two) of Château Pétrus. Followed by a good port and stilton and then chocolate mousse.
8. Finish this sentence: “At SIOR HQ, we…”
“are always moving forward, and, I like to think, leaps ahead of the rest!”
9. What’s your favorite way to unwind after a busy week?
Quality time with friends, hosting a dinner party, a long hike in the hills with the Labradors or a fresh-powder descent on skis, a refreshing drink, maybe a movie…
10. What’s something unique about the SIOR HQ team that you think people should know?
We are a small but mighty team, DC based but inclusive, the work-from-home allowance enables me to be based in the French-Swiss Alps but feel very much part of the squad!
Want to get in touch with Matthew? See below for contact details.
Matthew Leguen de Lacroix, SIOR
Head of Business Development, EMEA
MLeguendeLacroix@sior.com
