Christopher Kelly
CHRISTOPHER'S BIO
Chris is an entrepreneur focused on future-of-workplace, real estate as-a-service, RE Tech and values-based leadership.
In 2009, Chris co-founded Convene (www.convene.com) with his friend and business partner, Ryan Simonetti to capitalize on converging trends in real estate, hospitality and technology. Their vision of infusing hotel-style services into commercial office buildings proved to be successful as Convene quickly became the foremost provider of amenities to institutional landlords and their enterprise tenants. Supported by a client roster that includes over 70% of New York’s Fortune 500, Forbes Magazine named Convene one of “America’s 100 Most Promising Companies” and Crains Business listed it as “The #1 fastest growing company in New York” in 2014. The company currently has 12 locations serving New York, Philadelphia and Washington, DC.
Chris is an active thought leader and industry spokesperson with engagements, including; Worktech NY 2016, Convene Future of Work Summit, Cornell Baker School of Real Estate, the NYU Shack Institute of Real Estate and MIT Center for Real Estate (MSRED). As an active supporter of entrepreneurship, Chris is a perennial speaker at Columbia Business School, a mentor in The Peter Thiel Foundation and an author who has been featured in The Wall Street Journal, and The Huffington Post.
Chris has been recognized as a Top Entrepreneur by Crain’s New York Business, a finalist in Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year® awards and is the only person to have ever been twice recognized on Inc Magazine’s “30 Under 30” list of Most Promising Young Entrepreneurs.
Chris is a proud member of CoreNet and YPO Metro and is an avid endurance athlete. Mr. Kelly’s passion for traveling in developing economies has taken him to over 30 countries on five continents. Chris and his wife Adriann reside in New York with their daughter Vivienne and son James.
In 2009, Chris co-founded Convene (www.convene.com) with his friend and business partner, Ryan Simonetti to capitalize on converging trends in real estate, hospitality and technology. Their vision of infusing hotel-style services into commercial office buildings proved to be successful as Convene quickly became the foremost provider of amenities to institutional landlords and their enterprise tenants. Supported by a client roster that includes over 70% of New York’s Fortune 500, Forbes Magazine named Convene one of “America’s 100 Most Promising Companies” and Crains Business listed it as “The #1 fastest growing company in New York” in 2014. The company currently has 12 locations serving New York, Philadelphia and Washington, DC.
Chris is an active thought leader and industry spokesperson with engagements, including; Worktech NY 2016, Convene Future of Work Summit, Cornell Baker School of Real Estate, the NYU Shack Institute of Real Estate and MIT Center for Real Estate (MSRED). As an active supporter of entrepreneurship, Chris is a perennial speaker at Columbia Business School, a mentor in The Peter Thiel Foundation and an author who has been featured in The Wall Street Journal, and The Huffington Post.
Chris has been recognized as a Top Entrepreneur by Crain’s New York Business, a finalist in Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year® awards and is the only person to have ever been twice recognized on Inc Magazine’s “30 Under 30” list of Most Promising Young Entrepreneurs.
Chris is a proud member of CoreNet and YPO Metro and is an avid endurance athlete. Mr. Kelly’s passion for traveling in developing economies has taken him to over 30 countries on five continents. Chris and his wife Adriann reside in New York with their daughter Vivienne and son James.