Don Leake

Don is the Executive Vice President of SAM Development, where he leads U.S. real estate development activities for the US subsidiary of Drewlo Holdings, one of Canada’s largest multifamily developers. His responsibilities span land acquisition and deal structuring, asset management, corporate strategy and organizational leadership, design and permitting, and P & L oversight of the company’s licensed in-house general contractor.

Over a career spanning the United States, Middle East, Africa, and Asia, Don has directed the planning and delivery of major mixed-use, multifamily, and urban redevelopment projects. His experience includes leadership roles with NEOM, Majid al Futtaim Communities in Dubai, Bhartiya Urban in India, The Irvine Company, Dubai Holding, and Shea Homes. He has led projects ranging from large-scale residential communities to city-shaping master plans, including a 7,000-unit beachfront community at NEOM; a 6600-unit, 20 million square foot mixed use redevelopment in Bangalore, India; a 1,308-unit mixed-use community in San Jose, California, and most recently, the One Chandler mixed-use community in downtown Chandler, Arizona, which will serve as SAM’s new US headquarters.

Don brings particular expertise in deal structuring, capital markets, acquisitions, entitlement and permitting, infrastructure planning, construction delivery, and project-level P&L management. He has worked extensively with public agencies, institutional capital partners, and multidisciplinary consultant teams across continents to deliver projects that have won international and regional awards.

Don holds a Master of Architecture from Yale University where he served as a Teaching Fellow, a Master of Science in Real Estate from Johns Hopkins University, and a Bachelor of Architecture from the University of Arizona. He became a NCARB-certified architect in 1999 and is a LEED Accredited Professional.