Jonah Belkin
President, Peakhill Equity Partners
Education
Jonah holds a Bachelor of Science in Applied Economics and Management from Cornell University and a Master of Science in Real Estate Development from Columbia University. He is a member of the ULI Urban Revitalization Council and the Cornell Real Estate Council.
Interests
- Watching my kids try different sports and activities
- Reading
- Early morning workouts
- Cheering on NY sports teams
Contact
My name is Jonah Belkin, and I am the President of Peakhill Equity Partners, the real estate equity division at Peakhill, focused on investing capital into ground-up and value-add real estate projects with best-in-class partners to achieve compelling returns for our investors.
“I lead in a highly collaborative way, perhaps sometimes to a fault. I value diverse perspectives and make it a point to hear from everyone in the room, regardless of seniority or experience. I also believe in delegating meaningful responsibility, while ensuring that everyone on the team feels a strong sense of accountability.”
Peak Performance
To paint the full picture, I am originally from New York City and had moved to Toronto, looking to make an entrepreneurial move. I crossed paths with a member of Peakhill, who connected me to Harley Gold, President & CEO of Peakhill Capital, and the rest is history.
That being said, what I’m most proud of at Peakhill is the team we’ve built and the entrepreneurial spirit we all carry. We’ve hired talented, high-integrity people who bring strong judgment, work ethic, and a collaborative mindset to everything we do. The calibre of the team gives me a lot of confidence in where we are headed as a company.
Nimble
Entrepreneurial
Curious
Peakhill in 3 Words
What is one book/podcast/TED talk that has made an impact on you?
I am a big fan of “The Knowledge Project”, hosted by Shane Parrish, a podcast featuring experts across fields like business, investing, psychology, and science, focused on uncovering mental models and decision-making frameworks for thinking better and living wisely. I also closely read “Eye on the Market”, a long-running commentary series authored since 2005 by Michael Cembalest, Chairman of Market and Investment Strategy at J.P. Morgan, offering views on markets, investments, economics, politics, energy, municipal finance, and related topics.
What is Peakhill Equity Partners' approach to identifying investment opportunities?
Since our business is mostly built around joint ventures, everything starts with the partner. Every deal is a little bit like a marriage. We want trustworthy, transparent, and experienced partners who share similar values and ambitions.
From there, we look for alignment: alignment around the business plan, risk tolerance, decision-making, communication, and around what a successful outcome looks like. The economics matter, of course, but we have learned that the quality of the partnership is often what determines the outcome of a deal, especially if things do not go exactly according to plan.
We also look for partners who bring a clear edge—whether that is local market knowledge, development expertise, operating capabilities, capital relationships, or a proven track record in a specific asset class. Our goal is not just to provide capital, but to build relationships where both sides add value and where the partnership can grow beyond a single transaction.
From a small team to an incredible group, it’s been an amazing journey. Also, a special shoutout to the growing team of incredible women, easily the strongest lineup around!
