Debra A. Cafaro, chairman and CEO of Chicago-based real estate investment trust Ventas, is one of 100 people named to Harvard Business Review’s list of Best-Performing CEOs in the World for 2018.
One of only three women included in this year’s rankings, Cafaro has the No. 56 spot. This is her fifth consecutive year on the list.
Since joining Ventas in 1999, Cafaro has expanded the REIT’s market capitalization from $200 million to approximately $26 billion at its peak.
“A CEO’s success is dependent on the strength of her colleagues, and this recognition is a testament to Ventas’s collaborative culture and our team’s dedication to excellence and integrity,” she said in a statement. “We are immensely proud of the superior results we have delivered over decades, our commitment to our partners and our significant ESG efforts, all of which position Ventas for sustainable success well into the future.”
Ventas’ portfolio includes seniors housing, healthcare and research properties in the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom. Seniors housing represents 56% of the portfolio, according to a September presentation posted on the company’s website. Among seniors housing operators in the portfolio are Atria Senior Living, Brookdale Senior Living, Eclipse Senior Living and Sunrise Senior Living.
