Eli Simon
CEO, President and COO
2026 – Present
0 years (current)
Key Decisions & Impact
Eli Simon, David Simon's son, served as Chief Operating Officer before being appointed CEO and president effective immediately upon his father's death on March 22, 2026.
Legacy
Simon inherited leadership of the world's largest retail REIT during a period of continued growth -- the company raised its full-year Real Estate FFO guidance in its first quarterly results under his leadership -- while managing the unusual circumstance of an immediate, unplanned succession. His engineering and operations background within the company, rather than an external hire's fresh perspective, was seen by the board as essential for maintaining institutional continuity during an unplanned leadership transition. Simon board has emphasized continuity through both planned and unplanned leadership transitions as a core governance priority. Simon Property Groups board has consistently prioritized family and internal continuity in its succession planning, a pattern unusual among large-cap REITs typically led by non-founding-family professional management.