Ben Biberaj Exits Meridian to Lead Retail Leasing at IPRG

It’s the seven-year switch for Ben Biberaj, former senior director at Meridian Capital Group.

After an almost decadelong run at Meridian, Biberaj has joined the real estate investment brokerage IPRG as president of retail leasing, he told Commercial Observer. 

Biberaj took the reins on Sept. 8, fulfilling a longtime career goal to serve as the head of a division. 

“When I spoke to Derek Bestreich, who is the founding partner here at IPRG, he did an amazing job of showing me the vision for making IPRG a full-service real estate company,” Biberaj said. “When we spoke, it just made a lot of sense [for me to join IPRG]. He knew my long-term goals and really laid out his long-term goals for the company. And I’m super excited for the opportunity.”

During his tenure with Meridian, Biberaj grew the firm’s retail segment, overseeing a team of 10 brokers who worked on about 70 deals per year. 

These included representing apparel shop New York or Nowhere in leasing its flagship store at 250 Lafayette Street in Manhattan, as well as the French restaurant Boucherie in its first Washington, D.C., location one block from the White House. He also represented Apple Bank in its lease at 111 Fourth Avenue in Manhattan. 

“We’ve been strategically looking to expand IPRG’s investment sales expertise and extensive ownership relationships into retail leasing to better serve property owners across New York City and New Jersey,” Bestreich told CO via email. “Ben Biberaj stood out as the ideal leader for this venture. He’s a powerhouse in NYC’s retail leasing market with an unmatched track record of leasing hundreds of spaces, a stellar reputation, deep industry knowledge and invaluable relationships.” 

Biberaj takes the valuable lessons he learned at Meridian to IPRG, including how to mentor brokers to help them make the best of their careers. 

“I love helping young brokers find their way in the business,” he said. “Running a division means doing a whole lot more within the company than being a broker, but the opportunity to help brokers succeed, be successful, cultivate their relationships, and help them grow is something I take a lot of pride in.”

Amanda Schiavo can be reached at aschiavo@commercialobserver.com.