David Simon ‘90 MSRED and Joe Marconi

David Simon ‘90 MSRED is the Founder and Managing Principal of BARDAS Investment Group, a real estate development and investment firm established in 2018. The firm specializes in creating environments for the media, entertainment, and content creation industries under the ECHELON brand, with projects that include studio lots, sound stages, production support spaces, and collaborative workspaces.

With over 25 years of experience in creative office development, David emphasizes user experience through hospitality, design, and attention to detail. His expertise has driven the development of high-profile projects in Hollywood, such as Columbia Square, a historic media village. His work has earned recognition from the Urban Land Institute, the Los Angeles Conservancy, the Southern California Development Forum, and the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce.

Throughout his 30-year career in Southern California, David has overseen investment and development projects totaling over $10 billion. Under the ECHELON brand, BARDAS is dedicated to uniting the entertainment and media creative community, focusing on urban projects. The team specializes in tailoring environments for the entertainment sector, including studio lots, sound stages, and creative villages, all serviced by Echelon Management Group.

Before founding BARDAS, David developed unique spaces for both public real estate companies and private equity firms. Known for enhancing user experiences, he collaborates with design teams to merge innovative concepts with meticulous detail, reshaping workspace environments and positioning himself as a leader in Hollywood’s revitalization.

David’s latest initiative with Bain Capital Real Estate, ECHELON Creative Environments, is disrupting the market by developing and managing state of the art production complexes in Hollywood, which encompass 1.6 million square feet of media-focused facilities. This includes the $500 million ECHELON STUDIOS at 5601 Santa Monica, expected delivery in Q3 2026, and the $600 million redevelopment of the iconic Television Center, transforming Technicolor Studios into a 6.4-acre creative studio lot. His efforts have attracted major companies like Viacom and redeveloped studio spaces for CNN, with other notable entertainment innovators committing to ECHELON projects. David holds a master’s degree in real estate development from Columbia University and a bachelor’s degree from the University of Florida. He is actively involved in professional and philanthropic initiatives, serving as a member of the Urban Land Institute, former Vice Chair and Trustee at Oakwood School’s, Vice Chair of the Economic Development and Workforce Committee for the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce. He is also a member of the Dean’s Council at Columbia’s Graduate School of Architecture, Planning, and Preservation. Additionally, he has served on the board of Alternative Living for the Aging and established the Simon Family Drug Research Fund at the University of Alabama.

Joe Marconi joined Bain Capital in 2018 as part of Bain Capital Real Estate’s founding team. Prior to joining Bain Capital Marconi was Senior Vice President and Portfolio Manager in Harvard Management Company’s (HMC) Real Estate Investment Group, where he was responsible for portfolio management oversight and the implementation of HMC’s join venture investment program, which includes the selection, underwriting, negotiating, structuring, and management of HMC’s real estate investments.

Prior to joining HMC in 2011, Marconi was an investment Officer at Guggenheim Real Estate where he was instrumental in the design and oversight of the joint venture partner program and was a member of Guggenheim’s Investment and Disposition Committees. Prior to that, Marconi was a Manager with Price Waterhouse Coopers in the Transactions Services and Real Estate Advisor groups, where he gained experience in acquisition due diligence, valuations, and SEC registration matters for real estate investment and private equity companies.

Marconi received an MBA from the Sloan School of Management at MIT and holds a BS and MS in Accounting from the Fisher School at the University of Florida. Marconi is also a Certified Public Accountant.