Leadership
Sherry Li
Founder & CEO
Sherry Li is the Founder & CEO of C-STAR, bringing over 15 years of global real estate experience from leading institutions. With deep industry insights and strategic thinking, she has demonstrated exceptional vision and leadership in all aspects of real estate investment and management. Before founding C-STAR, Sherry served as a Director at Fosun Group, where she was instrumental in the acquisition of Everest Healthcare Properties. Prior to Fosun, she was a senior acquisition and portfolio management professional at Rosewood Investment Corporation, managing $4 billion in real estate transactions and overseeing a $7 billion portfolio. Her career also includes roles at Chambers Street Properties (REIT: CSG) and DTZ, focusing on commercial real estate capital markets, acquisitions and asset management.
Sherry frequently speaks at leading industry events and institutes, including the Appraisal Institute, APEX, AREAA, Harvard University, and Columbia University. She is also an avid pianist who has performed at renowned venues such as Carnegie Hall, Harvard, and MIT Concert Halls. Sherry currently lives in New Jersey with her husband and two dogs.
Ms. Li received her master’s degree concentrated in Real Estate from the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor. She also holds dual bachelor’s degrees in Economics and Urban Planning from Peking University. Currently enrolled in the Executive Education program (OPM 64’) at Harvard Business School, Sherry continues striving to elevate C-STAR into a leading investment management institution.
Jean Liu
Head of Capital Markets
Jean Liu is Head of Capital Markets of C-Star Investment Advisor. She oversees the capital formation strategies in equity and debt for the company’s SFR portfolios.
Prior to C-STAR, Jean worked as Senior Director at Ackman Ziff where her responsibilities included underwriting and structuring capital transactions for commercial real estate assets across the US, focusing on residential properties. Since joining Ackman Ziff in 2014, Jean has underwritten and assisted in executing more than $6.5 billion of structured debt and equity capital raising for various transactions, comprising $3 billion of single-family rental portfolio financings & sales and $3 billion of multifamily financings.
Jean holds an M.S. in Real Estate Finance and Investment from New York University and a B.S. in Information and Computing Science with a minor in Finance from Zhongnan University of Economics and Law in Wuhan, China. She was honored to be selected by the Commercial Observer as one of the Top 25 Debt & Equity Professionals Under 35 in the nation in 2019.
Mitchell Presnick
Venture Partner & Chief Advisor
Mitch Presnick is an American businessman who spent over 30 years in China and Hong Kong, holds HK Permanent Residency, and is fluent and literate in Mandarin Chinese. Mitch is founder and former chairman & CEO of Super 8 Hotels China, a national economy hotel chain with over 1100 properties. He is also founder of the China practice and former MD of APCO Worldwide, a Washington D.C. advisory and advocacy firm.
Mitch is currently visiting fellow of practice at the Fairbank Center for Chinese Studies at Harvard University, where he is researching U.S.- China business relations in the new era.
Mitch holds an MBA from Rutgers Business School (’99); a graduate diploma from Peking University (’90); and a BBA from James Madison University (’88).
Mitch was named ‘One of 33 Most Influential Leaders in Global Travel’ by Travel Weekly; ‘Top Ten Figure of China Hospitality Industry’ by China Hotels Modernization; and ‘Top Ten in Chinese Tourism’ by China Tourism Weekly, among other awards and honors. Mitch is past chairman of Young President’s Organization’s China Business Network, former vice chairman of the American Chamber of Commerce in China, and former vice chair of the Peking University Foreign Alumni Association.