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Roberta Sydney

Independent Board Director & Advisor

Plaxall, Inc. | Tiedemann Advisors

Boston, MA, USA

Roberta Sydney

Eric Tanenblatt

Roberta Sydney’s Biography

Roberta Sydney is a highly respected executive and thought leader with three decades of experience in financial services and real estate development. Roberta offers her expertise as an Independent Director and Advisor for companies in a range of industries, notably real estate technology, wealth management and manufacturing.

As a senior executive and board member, Roberta has helped numerous companies achieve significant growth, including large, traditional organizations, emerging companies and venture capital-backed startups. At wealth advisory firm Tiedemann Advisors, she draws on her leadership experience in facilitating and guiding high-growth opportunities for financial services companies. As a Director at Plaxall, Inc., a commercial real estate and plastic thermoforming manufacturer, she utilizes her extensive real estate development experience to guide the company’s varied investments.

Roberta's additional advisor and board roles include serving as Chair of the Boston chapter of Tiger 21 and as Trustee & Advisor for Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, a renowned teaching hospital in Boston. She also serves as an Advisor for pioneering real estate technology companies Cobu, RentalBeast and Embue.

In 1999, Roberta founded Sydney Associates, Inc. as a multigenerational family business focusing on real estate development, asset management and property management. As CEO, she employed an entrepreneurial approach in the acquisition and development of residential and commercial properties and successfully managed nine million square feet of property. After stepping down as CEO in 2016, she served as Chairperson until 2019.

Roberta is a sought-after speaker on governance and real estate topics. She has spoken at leading universities, such as Harvard Business School and Dartmouth’s Tuck School of Business, and at events held by renowned organizations, including The MIT Center for Real Estate and Women Corporate Directors.

Roberta’s Newsfeed

NACD

NACD Summit 2021

Roberta Sydney was a member of a panel titled 'What You Need to Know Now: 'A New Administration, A New Set of Regulatory Priorities' at the annual NACD Summit. The panel focused on emerging tax policies, the shifting makeup of the SEC, and many other topics.

On the Mic with Jordan Rich

The Courage to Advance

Roberta Sydney, a nationally recognized leader in board service, is featured in a new book titled “The Courage to Advance: Real Life Resilience from the World’s Most Successful Women in Business.” She shares her story in this podcast interview.

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Roberta’s Background

Sydney Associates, Inc.

Chairperson

2016 - 2019

Boston, MA, USA

Sydney Associates, Inc. is a midsize real estate developer, asset and property manager, and multigenerational family business founded by Roberta in 1999. She served as Chairperson before a successful exit and earn out in 2019.

Sydney Associates, Inc.

Founder & CEO

1999 - 2015

Boston, MA, USA

As CEO of Sydney Associates, Inc., Roberta led regulatory compliance, investor relations, as well as tenant servicing for operations, brokerage and leasing. Under her leadership, she ensured shareholder returns of more than 15%. She was crucial in maintaining strong relationships with major tenants, including Bank of America, Trader Joe’s and CVS.

State Street

Principal

1997 - 1999

Boston, MA, USA

State Street works with leading institutional investors from around the world. The firm offers comprehensive financial services including investment management, investment research and trading and investment servicing.

Sydney Construction Company

President

1997 - 1999

Boston, MA, USA

Sydney Construction Company was a family construction company founded in 1967 based in Boston and led by Roberta until she decided to set up her own enterprise.

BayBank

Senior Vice President | Consumer Lending and Mortgages

1993 - 1996

Boston, MA, USA

Established in 1894, BayBank held a strong retail banking presence in Massachusetts, with 205 locations at the time of its 1995 merger with Bank of Boston. The two banks formed BankBoston, which was later acquired by Fleet Bank.

Business Consultant

Independent Consultant

1990 - 1992

Los Angeles, CA, USA

During this time, Roberta worked with senior housing real estate development and high technology firms as an Independent Consultant. She advised the companies on strategic analysis, planning, and provided them with relevant marketing feasibility studies.

Leisure Technology, Inc.

Director | Forward Planning

1988 - 1990

Los Angeles, CA, USA

Leisure Technology, Inc. was a real estate development company that specialized in the planning, development and marketing of retirement homes across New Jersey, New York, California and Florida.

The Boston Company

Vice President | Direct Financial Services

1979 - 1987

Boston, MA, USA

The Boston Company is an asset management subsidiary of Mellon that specialises in working with institutional and retail clients. Roberta began her career with The Boston Company as an Investment Performance Analyst.

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Roberta’s Gallery

roberta sydney speaking on a panel

Roberta sydney speaking at an event at bentley university

Roberta Sydney at an event in washington dc

Roberta and Larry Bacow Harvard University president

roberta sydney at bentley university

Board Positions

Tiedemann Advisors

Board of Directors

Nov 2019 - Present

New York, NY, USA

Founded in 1999, Tiedemann Advisors is one of the largest independent investment and wealth advisors for high-net-worth individuals, trusts, families, foundations and endowments.

Plaxall, Inc.

Board of Directors

2017 - Present

New York, NY, USA

Plaxall is a family-run company that specializes in commercial real estate and plastic thermoforming manufacturing. Roberta also served as Chair of the Compensation Committee.

TIGER 21

Chair | Boston Group

2018 - Present

Boston, MA, USA

TIGER 21 is an exclusive peer membership network of high-net-worth entrepreneurs, investors and executives.

Locatee

Advisory Board

Aug 2021 - Present

Zürich, CH

Locatee is the leading workplace analytics solution that empowers workplace leaders to make fact-based decisions about their real estate portfolio by transforming complex data into space utilization insights.

LendingHome

Board of Directors

Jul 2021 - Present

San Francisco, CA, USA

LendingHome offers reliable and simplified hard money loans and rental loans for real estate investors of all experience levels to grow their portfolios. It's technology empowers real estate investors to unlock value in every aged home.

Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center

Trustee | Advisory Board & Neuroscience Advisory Committee

2014 - Present

Boston, MA, USA

Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center (BIDMC) is based in Boston and is part of the Beth Israel Lahey Health system. It is one of the world’s top teaching hospitals as part of Harvard Medical School.

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Advisory Roles

Cobu

Chair | Advisory Board

Boston, MA, USA

Cobu is a real estate technology and services company that makes it easy for residents to connect with neighbors turning apartments into homes.

RentalBeast, Inc.

Advisor

Somerville, MA, USA

Rental Beast is a real estate technology company that helps streamline the real estate market with its SaaS platform to enable agents, brokers, landlords and tenants to work more effectively.

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Media

Blueprint's Conversations with Champions: Roberta Sydney

Interview

Oct 2020

Roberta Sydney joins Proptech's Blueprint: Conversations with Champions series to discuss the developments and the evolution of real estate technology made during her time at the Sydney Associates and her strategies for maintaining construction projects and creating positive relationships with clients.

The Role of The Board of Directors During Crisis

Interview

Jun 2020

New York, NY, USA

Roberta Sydney, along with other business leaders and board members, was invited to share her thoughts on how she views leadership during the Covid-19 pandemic. In addition, she discussed the role of the board during the pandemic and offered suggestions on what boards need to do in this moment.

Hospitality Investing through the Eyes of a Family Office Investor

Interview

Jun 2020

Roberta Sydney joins the IMN’s Podcast Series to discuss the current trends that are apparent in the hospitality sector in the wake of a global health crisis and the place of family offices in the current environment.

Female Leaders | Are You Ready to be an Entrepreneur?

Interview

Feb 2020

Roberta Sydney joins Sue Hawkes in a conversation in which they discuss the length of Roberta's impressive career, how she carried her skills with her during her transition to CEO and entrepreneur to board member and advisory roles as well as the obstacles that women face in the industry.

Roberta Sydney with Candy O'Terry

Interview

Apr 2019

Boston, MA, USA

Roberta Sydney joins Candy O'Terry to discuss her experience founding and running Sydney Associates, her experience serving on boards, at times the only female board member, and the importance of building strong business relationships.

Sorry, Not Sorry: Why women should stop apologizing

Interview

Oct 2018

New York, NY, USA

In this article that discusses the notion that women say sorry too much, Roberta Sydney says that she first considered the implications of speech after engaging in professional coaching in the early 1990s: 'I think a lot about my language and I really think about it when I write...I use oops instead of sorry if I send out an email. I don’t feel like I’m apologizing. To me it feels more innocuous.'

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Interviews

The Courage to Advance

Interview

Sep 2021

Roberta Sydney, a nationally recognized leader in board service, is featured in a new book titled “The Courage to Advance: Real Life Resilience from the World’s Most Successful Women in Business.” She shares her story in this podcast interview.

Accreditation

American College of Corporate Directors

Silver Executive Master's Certificate

Needham, MA, USA

Roberta is accredited as Silver Level Executive by the American College of Corporate Directors. To reach this level of certification, Roberta contributed to the organization by sharing her valuable expertise, knowledge and experience gained throughout her career as an executive and board member.

National Association of Corporate Directors

Cyber Certificate

2018

Arlington, VA, USA

Roberta is a Member and Governance Fellow of the National Association of Corporate Directors and obtained the Cyber Certificate through the organization. This course focused on the cyber-security threat landscape, responsibilities of the board and management in cyber-risk oversight and featured cyber-crisis simulations.

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Publications

The Anywhere, Anytime Workplace

Author

Jun 2021

New York, NY, USA

Seeing the present as a 'massive transition point', Roberta Sydney urges companies to recognize a great opportunity to rethink their workplaces and prioritize worker well-being. Notably, she discusses how the female presence in the workplace has changed and how a remote or hybrid workforce will require leaders to think differently about creating cohesion, spreading culture and inculcating values.

Specialists, Generalists, and Private Company Board Composition

Author

Jan 2021

"Generalists—rather than specialists—make for great board directors in private companies to keep board size small, be better prepared to govern in times of uncertainty, and communicate effectively with one another and the management team," Roberta says in an article for NACD, in which she discusses the value of generalists on a directorial board.

What Makes a Good Board Director from the CEO Perspective

Author

Oct 2020

In an article written for NACD, Roberta Sydney discusses what a CEO looks for in a quality member for the Board of Directors with the goal to advise those hopeful for a board appointment.

Around the Corner to Around the World: A Dozen Lessons I Learned Running Dunkin' Donuts

Beta Reader

Oct 2020

Roberta received an acknowledgement for her work in providing feedback for Robert Rosenberg's novel, Around the Corner to Around the World. She also worked as a beta reader for the novel.

Ivy Exec

Author

Apr 2017

New York, NY, USA

Roberta is the author of "Find Your Volume Button: Moving Successfully from Corporate Leadership to the Entrepreneurial World" which was published by Ivy Exec, a leading career resources company.

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Memberships

Women Corporate Directors (WCD)

Member

2019 - Present

Stuart, FL, USA

Women Corporate Directors (WCD) is the largest community of female corporate board directors in the world. The organization has over 8500 members that serve on both private and public boards across the globe.

National Association of Corporate Directors

Member & Governance Fellow

Arlington, VA, USA

The National Association of Corporate Directors provides board members with practical insights through world-class education, leading research, and a growing network of directors. The NACD is the recognized authority on leading boardroom practices.

Harvard Alumni Real Estate Board

Member

2018 - Present

Cambridge, England, USA

Harvard Alumni Real Estate Board was set up by the university's real estate alumni to promote the field of study across the university and for alumni to network, grow and exchange ideas.

International Women's Forum

Member

2018 - Present

Washington, DC, USA

International Women's Forum is dedicated to promoting women's leadership across the world. The forum stands for worldwide equality and consists of over 7000 dynamic female leaders from over 30 countries.

Private Directors Association

Member

2017 - Present

Frankfort, IL, USA

The Private Directors Association is an organization made up of private company business owners, their executives & directors and aims to support directors to lead with confidence, knowledge and support.

C200

Member

2010 - Present

Chicago, IL, USA

C200 is a powerful community of the most successful women in business, representing companies with more than $1.4 trillion in combined revenue and employing more than 2.5 million people. Roberta previously served as a Board member, Treasurer and Chair of the Finance Committee.

The Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs | Harvard Kennedy School

International Council

Cambridge, MA, USA

Founded in 1973, the Belfer Center is a permanent research center located within Harvard University. The Belfer Center focuses on research in the areas of Security, Diplomacy, Energy & Environment and Science & Technology.

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Awards & Endorsements

2020 Directors to Watch

Dec 2020

Roberta was listed as one of Private Company Director Magazine's 2020 Directors to watch for her work with private companies.

Training & Management Courses

Harvard Business School Executive Education

Board of Director Program

2019

Cambridge, MA, USA

This program examines best practices for corporate boards and explores options and opportunities in corporate board service. Attendees gain a greater understanding of the role and responsibilities of corporate directors and the challenges they can expect to face in that role.

Speaking Engagements

Virtual: The Future of Work is Now

Moderator

May 2021

As a part of NACD-New England's Private Company Governance and Leadership Initiative, Roberta will be a moderator for a discussion regarding the preparation of companies for the work from home initiative and how the COVID-19 pandemic changed work trends.

Entitlement & Compensation Within Family Businesses

Panel Member

May 2021

In Part 3 of the FBA Family Business Panel, Roberta Sydney and others discuss how to handle the sensitive issues of compensation within a family business. The panel focuses on best practices and the importance of communication, while also highlighting the importance of outside consultation.

Hiring In Family Businesses

Panel Member

Apr 2021

Family businesses are an exciting endeavor; however, they also pose some significant challenges, as the panel of Part 2 of the FBA April Family Business Panel illustrates through their experience and expertise. Roberta Sydney and the other panel members, discuss how to make the difficult decision of who to include in the family business, how bad decisions can hurt the business, and other topics.

Family Politics, Generational Transition & Sibling Rivalry

Panel Member

Apr 2021

In Part 1 of this FBA Family Business Panel, Roberta Sydney joined a panel of experts to discuss inter-family politics, generational transition, hiring in the family business, and many more relevant topics for business owners, family businesses, and entrepreneurs.

Elevating the Role of Women in Real Estate

Featured

Aug 2020

Roberta joined IMN’s Real Estate Webcast Series: Elevating the Role of Women in Real Estate as a Featured Speaker. She, among other women in the real estate industry, shared her views on issues that face women in the work place, including pay inequality and a lack of leadership positions.

Business Disruption and the Effective Private and Family Company Board

Featured

May 2018

Roberta was a Featured Speaker at the Private Company Governance Summit held in May 2018, where she joined other prominent industry experts to provide insights on how companies and organizations should build their Board of Directors.

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Community Engagement

StartUp Partners

Co-Founder

Aug 2017 - Present

Boston, MA, USA

Roberta is the Co-Founder of the StartUp Partners program, an initiative that aims to help start-ups grow and succeed. Advisors are generally executives in the Boston area that are kept up to date with new trends and developments in technology which they pass on to provide valuable feedback to start-ups.

Marathon Daffodils

Co-Founder

Boston, MA, USA

Marathon Daffodils is an initiative that aims to bring the spirit of spring to The Boston Marathon with many volunteers contributing to plant over 100,000 daffodils.

Press Releases

LendingHome Hires New CFO and CMO to Help Drive Continued Growth

Jul 2021

New York, NY, USA

The press release also stated that Roberta Sydney was appointed to LendingHome's Board of Directors. Roberta was lauded and chosen for her 30+ years in the real estate industry.

LendingHome Hires New CFO and CMO to Help Drive Continued Growth

Jul 2021

New York, NY, USA

Roberta Sydney was recently appointed to the Board of Directors of LendingHome. Sydney was lauded for her success as a real estate entrepreneur, CEO and senior corporate executive. "I'm looking forward to advising LendingHome,” she said. "I believe in the products and people at LendingHome and I'm excited to work with the team.”

Roberta’s Education

Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)

MS | Real Estate Development

1987 - 1988

Harvard Business School

MBA | Business Administration & Management

1981 - 1983

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