David E. Simon is chairman and chief executive officer of Indianapolis-based Simon Property Group, a member of the S&P 500 and the largest US publicly traded real estate company. Simon Property Group is engaged primarily in the ownership, development, and management of retail real estate, primarily regional malls, Premium Outlet Centers, The Mills, community/lifestyle centers, and international properties. It currently owns or has an interest in approximately 385 properties in North America, Europe and Asia.

Mr. Simon joined the organization in 1990. In 1993, he led the efforts to take Simon Property Group public with a nearly $1 billion initial public offering that, at the time, was the largest real estate stock offering ever. Mr. Simon became chief executive officer in 1995. Since that time, he has orchestrated more than $25 billion in strategic acquisitions that, together with ground-up development, have allowed the company to assemble a portfolio of top-tier shopping centers that serve as home to virtually every top national and international retailer.

Before joining the organization, Mr. Simon was a vice president of Wasserstein Perella & Co., a Wall Street firm specializing in mergers and acquisitions and leveraged buyouts.

Mr. Simon is a member and former chairman of the National Association of Real Estate Investment Trusts (NAREIT) board of governors and is a former trustee of the International Council of Shopping Centers (ICSC). He has received numerous industry honors, and in 2000 he was inducted into the Indiana University Kelley School of Business Academy of Alumni Fellows.

Mr. Simon holds a BS degree from Indiana University and an MBA from Columbia Business School.