Rafael Romero

Biography: Rafael Romero is a commercial real estate broker and strategic consultant, specializing in retail and mixed-use assets from pre-development to disposition. As a senior member of JLL South Florida’s Retail Advisory practice, he is responsible for business development, landlord and tenant representation, and provides consulting services for several institutional clients throughout Florida. He brings well over a decade of experience to JLL’s dynamic retail team. As one of South Florida’s leading placemakers, he is experienced in planning for and executing lease-ups for mixed-use and lifestyle projects. Rafael has helped shape and implement the vision of several projects, including procuring and negotiating lease transactions with multiple award-winning restaurant concepts, fitness operators, retailers, and complementary service providers. He has received several recognitions for performance, including the JLL Platinum Achiever award in 2024. Prior to joining JLL, Mr. Romero was a Vice President at CREC (now Colliers International), prior to which he was a Local Leasing Representative at Simon Property Group in Miami, Florida. During this time, his responsibilities consisted primarily of seeking retail tenants and negotiating lease terms for two of Simon’s high profile South Florida projects: Dadeland Mall and The Shops at Sunset Place. Prior to Simon Property Group, Rafael was a Commercial Associate with Terranova Corporation, leasing high profile projects such as CocoWalk and the Miami Marlins Ballpark. Romero is a veteran of the United States Navy, having served as a command Rescue Swimmer and Navigation Specialist onboard the USS Nashville (LPD-13) during three overseas combat deployments. He is a licensed Florida Real Estate Broker, an active member of ICSC, a graduate and designee of the Certified Commercial Investment Member (CCIM) program, and a risk management expert licensed as a Florida General (Property & Casualty) and Surplus Lines agent. He has a BA in Interdisciplinary Studies from Florida International University and an MBA from the University of Miami. Expert resource in business news publications, including the New York Times, Miami Herald, USA Today, the South Florida Business Journal, and several others. Mr. Romero can be reached directly by email: [email protected]