EMILE K. HADDAD
Chief Executive, President
FivePoint Holdings LLC
Aliso Viejo
Born in Beirut, Lebanon
Age: 60
Lives in Laguna Hills (Nellie Gail Ranch)
WHY: In charge of developing homes, commercial space at Great Park Neighborhoods at former El Toro Marine base in Irvine.
HOW: Stepped down as Lennar Corp. chief investment officer in 2009 to take top spot at FivePoint, new company in charge of developing some of Lennar’s largest California holdings, including 3,700-acre El Toro project, of which 2,100 acres is being used for residential and commercial development. Irvine site entitled for nearly 10,000 homes; about half of those homesites have been sold to builders or homebuyers.
RECENT: Home development remains in full force in Irvine, with sales brisk and homebuilder interest strong. “We’re very cognizant [about] what we are hearing about the market in general in the United States, and the other markets in California. But honestly, we haven’t seen it.” Newest community, Novel Park, in presales mode, with emphasis on affordability.
FAST FACT: Left troubled Lebanon with fiancée, now wife, Dina. Daughter, Serene, strategic planning manager at FivePoint.
QUOTABLE: Sees business lessons from time spent on the soccer pitch. “To me, it’s about people on the field knowing what the strategy is, but reacting in real time to shift because that’s what happens in real life—you go in with a strategy, but the market conditions shift, and how you act as a team, and have each other’s back.”
PERSONAL: He and Lennar President Jonathan Jaffe (see separate entry, page 23) named Businesspeople of the Year by the Business Journal after leading purchase of El Toro base in 2005—biggest local real estate deal in recent memory. Serves as chairman of USC Lusk Center for Real Estate and a member of the USC Price Planning Program Advisory Board. Recently named to Chapman University’s board. Previously the chair of the board of trustees at the University of California-Irvine. Serves on the real estate advisory boards of the UCI and the University of California-Berkeley. Civil engineering degree from American University of Beirut; California licenses in engineering, contracting.
