Michael Zito is involved in all aspects of Belay Investment Group’s investment activities, focusing on sourcing and evaluating new investments, investment execution, and asset and portfolio management. Mr. Zito has over 23 years of capital markets and private equity investment experience. Prior to joining Belay, Mr. Zito led the growth of Aulder Capital, a real estate operating and investment management business, as its Founding Managing Partner and CEO. During his time with Aulder, he increased AUM from $18 million to $500 million and strategically expanded the platform across multiple asset types and geographies nationally. Mr. Zito was also instrumental in developing the firms’ social impact and community initiatives. Prior to this, Mr. Zito headed the Direct Americas Real Estate Team at Partners Group, a global investment management firm where he underwrote and closed over $500 million of investments. His team was charged with identifying, structuring, and executing debt / equity real estate transactions throughout North and South America. Prior to this, Mr. Zito held the role of Vice President at Lehman Brothers in their Principal Transactions Group, where he originated, structured, and underwrote over $6.5 billion of first mortgage, mezzanine, and equity real estate investments. Spanning his career, he has invested in transactions across multifamily, office, for-sale residential, hospitality, retail and industrial asset types.
Mr. Zito received his Bachelor of Science in Industrial and Labor Relations from Cornell University.