About Us
We are a woman-owned* real estate industry focused executive search and consulting firm with 20+ years of real estate industry and executive search experience. Founded by a former Partner of a well respected boutique executive search firm, we bring a deep knowledge and perspective on talent needs and organizational challenges that our real estate clients face.
Through collaboration, transparency, and our core values, we leverage our deep and expansive real estate referral network to quickly and successfully fulfill our clients’ organizational needs without compromising quality or integrity. Our team has keen knowledge of the talent market as well as the industry’s forces and progression. We help clients to pivot in real time to adjust to current external and internal conditions, resulting in successful placements and completion of assignments.
*M/WBE certification pending. We are woman-founded, woman-owned, and powered by fearless, resourceful, and wise Lionesses who operate with integrity and respect.
Neda B. Levy
CEO
Neda B. Levy is the Founder & CEO of Leo Search Partners, a boutique executive search agency specializing in placing exceptional executive, mid-level, and divisional lead talent in the real estate industry, with a sub specialization in real estate in-house counsel as well as asset management roles. Prior to starting LSP, Neda was a Partner an award-winning and nationally recognized executive search firm leading and executing high-profile search engagements for C-suite and senior leadership roles for clients such as Mitsui Fudosan America, Lendlease Americas, New York Housing Partnership, SHVO, Silverstein Properties, and Stellar Management to name a few.
Neda has a unique background that makes her particularly adept at understanding the dual challenges on each side of the hiring process for both hiring manager and candidate– she spent over 15+ years in the roles she now services. First as a VP, General Counsel at a New York City-based private equity real estate investment firm, and then as a Chief Administrative Officer for a well-established and vertically integrated real estate investment, development, and construction firm. As a result, Neda possesses the dynamic experience of relating to and understanding her client’s needs across the following subspecialties– In-House Legal, Asset Management, Development & Acquisition, and Operations.
This experience makes her intimately familiar with maximizing ROI when strategically building strong teams and creating long term value for her clients.
Neda is a member and sponsor of GirlGang; an active member of ULI-New York, a Mixed-Use Council member, and a ULI Mentor since 2020. She was a member of ULI-NY Executive Board from 2020-2022 as a Co-Chair of Program Steering Committee. Neda is the Co-Founder of the Real Estate Alumni Group for the University of Rochester launched in October 2022, and a frequent presenter and panelist at a variety of industry conferences.
Neda earned her Juris Doctorate from Temple University School of Law, Cum Laude, and her Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science with High Honors from University of Rochester, Cum Laude.
When she is not leading executive searches for clients, she enjoys playing tennis with her husband and playing sports with her two young sons or watching them play for their travel soccer, flag football, and basketball leagues.
What’s behind the Name Leo?
Leo, means lion and refers to our founder’s Persian heritage where women in the ancient Persian empire (currently Iran) refer to their women as “Shir Zans” or Lionesses. This accolade is used to refer to trailblazing women who are courageous, fierce, resourceful and unafraid in charting a new course in the name of progressiveness, equality and human rights. These Lionesses have been fearless warriors who fought alongside male counterparts in defending their values and country. In more recent times, these Lionesses have been politicians, attorneys, doctors and activists for democracy and justice. Lionesses refer to all the brave and strong women who not only exist in the Persian culture and society, but also throughout the world and our communities.
They are our inspirations at Leo Search Partners to always do good and do right, be ethical and operate with the highest level of integrity.