The Agency + rennie Debuts in NYC with Visionary Panel

Lucía Torres · 2026-05-21

### A Bold East Coast Debut The Agency + rennie just made its East Coast debut in New York City, and it was something special. Fresh off an intimate kick-off at The Agency's Beverly Hills office, the team took over the 63rd floor of Hudson Yards for a panel discussion that felt less like a corporate launch and more like a gathering of old friends who happen to be shaping the future of real estate. Mauricio Umansky, founder and CEO of The Agency, and Greg Zayadi, president of rennie, were joined by rennie founder Bob Rennie and The Agency's president Rainy Hake Austin. Together, they set the stage for something that's been brewing for a while: a partnership that combines five decades of new development expertise with award-winning marketing and sales execution. ### What This Partnership Really Means Here's the thing about the real estate industry right now: it's consolidating fast. But The Agency + rennie isn't just following the trend. They're betting on innovation instead. "With all of the consolidation going on in the industry, we really believe that now is the time for innovation in the new development space," said Mauricio Umansky. "There is an opportunity to change and collaborate—to reach loftier goals and usher in better resources for this sector of our industry." What they're building is a seamless platform that brings together market intelligence, sales execution, and developer tools under one roof. No more juggling multiple vendors or trying to piece together insights from different sources. It's all designed to make life easier for developers who want to stay ahead. ### The Panel That Set the Tone Moderated by Lucy Blatter, editorial director of Dow Jones, the panel featured three heavy hitters who didn't hold back: - **Bob Rennie**, the Vancouver-based founder of rennie, who has spent 50 years redefining real estate through data-driven intelligence and risk management. - **Jaime Fasja**, CEO of Thor Urbana and LIFE Properties International, whose work focuses on luxury lifestyle communities in places like Riviera Nayarit and Belize. - **Young Woo**, founder of Youngwoo & Associates, a pioneer in urban innovation with landmark projects across New York and beyond. They tackled some big questions: How should developers rethink risk in a shifting market? What does luxury mean to the next generation of ultra-high-net-worth buyers? And what signals point to the next wave of urban transformation? ### A Candid Conversation "What we have found is that, amidst turmoil, there is opportunity," said Bob Rennie. "If we are going to stay in business, we have to find these alliances. Now is not the time to retreat—it's the time to reset." The discussion ranged from membership-based residential models to the evolving art of placemaking in cities like New York. It was timely, candid, and refreshingly real—exactly the kind of conversation developers need to hear right now. ### What's Next for The Agency + rennie After the panel, guests moved to Zou Zou's inside Hudson Yards for cocktails and hors d'oeuvres. The vibe was electric. Also in attendance were Tony Chen and Rick Stack, the developers behind Kali'u Ala Moana in Honolulu—one of the partnership's first projects. That boutique condominium, developed by ProsPac Holdings, features 285 residences designed by Olson Kundig, plus a health and wellness club and commercial space. The Agency + rennie partnership is built for the ambitious. And if that night was any indication, the best is still ahead. To learn more, visit TheAgencyrennie.com. *Event photos by REPN*