Malaika Rivers

Biography: Malaika Rivers builds collaborative, public-private partnerships between commercial real estate and government interests which transform commercial districts, add value to real estate investment portfolios and create thriving communities. Malaika guides both public, private and government clients through complex endeavors to plan and build critical infrastructure. Using an expertise in public finance tools and community development, her advisory services lead the necessary technical, political and financial strategies that, when carefully combined, drive value for clients and outsized returns on investments. Her notable successes include large-scale infrastructure projects for professional sports teams including the Atlanta Braves' $1.3B baseball stadium and The Battery mixed-use development. Other successes include roads, trails, parks and other amenities for office, multifamily and industrial owners and developers. A leader in Community Improvement Districts (CIDs), Malaika leans on decades of experience at the forefront of these innovative finance tools that go beyond placemaking. She advises on structuring CIDs as a means for small and large scale infrastructure development and urban growth management. Her expertise leads clients through the nuances of various stages of CIDs, from exploration and early-stage development through strategic growth and maturation of capital work programs. She is a frequent contributor to various media outlets and publishes forward-thinking reports, including a report co-authored with the Georgia Institute of Technology which considers how CIDs may be positioned at the forefront of smart cities as governments and commercial districts seek digital transformation. Malaika is a four-time ‘Notable Georgian’, a ‘100 Influential Women to Know’, and a ‘25 Power Women to Watch’. She received her B.S. from Virginia Tech and her C.M.E. from Harvard Business School.