LONDON (22 February 2018) — Longtime Urban Land Institute leader Alexander Otto, chief executive officer of German property developer ECE Projektmanagement, has been selected as a ULI Life Trustee. Otto was presented with the honor, reserved for ULI’s most dedicated and respected members, during a presentation at the recent ULI Europe Conference in Berlin. Otto becomes only the 15^th recipient of the honor in the Institute’s history.

Life Trustees are individuals whose service to ULI has been meaningful, distinctive, and extraordinary. ULI selects individuals based on specific contributions of time and resources to ULI and the ULI Foundation; leadership and participation in committees, task forces, councils, and advisory services; standing and reputation in the land use industry; and years as a ULI full member and trustee.

“I am honored to become a ULI Life Trustee,” said Otto. “I value my ULI membership because it has allowed me to exchange ideas with top decision-makers from politics and business about the future of urban development.”

“Alex has gone above and beyond as a ULI leader, giving his time and his talent to improve both the Institute and his community,” said Jon H. Zehner, Chairman of ULI Europe, while presenting the honor to Otto.  “For years, Alex has given back unselfishly to ULI – all while growing his company into one of the most successful real estate companies in Europe. His dedication and service to our organization is an inspiration to all of us.”

A member of ULI for 17 years, Otto has been instrumental in the growth of ULI in Europe. He has served in several capacities, including as chairman of ULI Europe from 2009 through 2011 and as chairman of ULI Germany from 2003 through 2008. His company, ECE, was one of two firms to underwrite an executive director position for ULI Germany, which helped make the national council one of the strongest in Europe. He is a ULI trustee, and has served as a board member of the ULI Foundation.

Otto has been chief executive officer of ECE, a company owned by the Otto family, since 2000. During his time as CEO, ECE became European market leader in the field of inner-city shopping centers. ECE now has 3,600 employees and operates in 14 countries with assets under management totaling approximately 33.5 billion euros. The company is one of the leading developers of major real estate properties in Europe, focusing on office properties, hotels, logistics centers, and retail properties.

An active philanthropist, Otto is founder and chairman of the board of trustees of the Lebendige Stadt Foundation, which promotes the revitalization of European inner cities. He supports youth and disabled sports in Hamburg through his Alexander Otto Sports Foundation. He also founded and funded the construction of an ice and ball sports arena as well as the HSV Soccer Academy in Hamburg. In addition, he supports healthcare and cultural projects, among others the extensive refurbishment of Hamburg Art Museum, through the Dorit und Alexander Otto Foundation.

Otto joins an exceptional group of Life Trustees: Joseph Brown, chief innovation officer, AECOM, San Francisco; James DeFrancia, principal, Lowe Enterprises, Inc., Aspen, Colo.; Wayne Doran, consultant, Dearborn, Mich.; Robert Engstrom, president, Robert Engstrom Companies, Minneapolis; Gerald Hines, founder and chairman, Hines, Houston; Frederick Kober, chairman, The Christopher Companies, Oakton, Va.; Walter Koelbel, chairman of the board, Koelbel and Company, Denver, (deceased); Robert Larson, chairman, Lazard Alternative Investments, Bloomfield Hills, Mich., (deceased); Sir Stuart Lipton, deputy chairman, Chelsfield Partners, London; Bowen Buzz McCoy, president, Buzz McCoy Associates, Inc., Los Angeles; Henry Paparazzo, chairman and chief executive officer, Heritage Development Group, Inc./Heritage Village, Southbury, Conn.; Wayne Ratkovich, founder and president, The Ratkovich Company, Los Angeles; Stan Ross, chairman of the board and senior fellow, USC Lusk Center for Real Estate, Los Angeles; Melvin Simon, co-chairman of the board, Simon Property Group, Inc., Indianapolis, (deceased); and James W. Todd, president, JWT Inc., McLean, Va.

About the Urban Land Institute
The Urban Land Institute is a non-profit education and research institute supported by its members. Its mission is to provide leadership in the responsible use of land and in creating and sustaining thriving communities worldwide. Established in 1936, the institute has over 40,000 members worldwide representing all aspects of land use and development disciplines. For more information, please visit europe.uli.org, follow us on Twitter, or join our LinkedIn group.