Age: 29
While most kids were tinkering with Transformers back in the late 1980s, Alykhan Lalani had something a little different on his mind: commercial real estate. Forget morphing toys, Alykhan wanted to play with buildings. Real buildings. “Building things and putting deals together was always appealing to me,” he says. Of course, it didn’t hurt that his father was – and still is – involved in the business of commercial real estate. “I would go to meetings with him and always be interested in what was happening.”
Today, some 20 years later, Lalani gets to live his childhood dream. He is vice-president and partner at commercial real estate giant Colliers International. And at 29, he also just happens to be the youngest partner in the organization’s Calgary office, where he is part of the downtown office leasing team. The commercial real estate world can be a fast-paced and a cutthroat business with brokers battling it out for clients and space. “The one thing my dad told me early on about this business is to always carry myself with integrity,” he says. “I just try to follow that advice every day.”
Besides finding his clients comfy office spaces, Lalani also spends a good chunk of time in the community
volunteering for a variety of organizations. And when time permits, he also manages to squeeze in a game of golf or hockey. But mostly, Lalani loves hanging out with his family. “I usually go to my parents’ house at least once a week for dinner,” he says, before revealing an ulterior motive. “My mom sends me home with enough food to last me for the next five days.”
COMMUNITY WORK
Volunteer and
fundraiser, Aga Khan
Foundation Canada
Volunteer and
fundraiser, Focus
Humanitarian
Assistance
Mentor, high
school students
Volunteer and
fundraiser, Safe
Haven Foundation
Volunteer,
Mustard Seed