Donald Li

Beijing, China
B.A. Economics

Donald’s journey in real estate began in the alleyways of his hometown in Northern China, where the red bricks and green tiles of traditional courtyard homes sparked a lifelong interest in how we live. This foundational passion for improving housing conditions guided his academic and professional path, from a university thesis on housing affordability to a career journey in Beijing.

Most recently at Jones Lang LaSalle, Donald has been at the forefront of financial innovation in real estate. Over the last four years, he has focused on transaction advisory, valuation, and the nascent C-REITs market. He played a pioneering role in the sector’s development, contributing significantly to major transactions, including the launch of China’s first-ever data center REIT. As a candidate at the MIT Center for Real Estate, he is eager to build upon his expertise. He intends to pursue in-depth research while also venturing into the transformative fields of Real World Asset (RWA) tokenization and ESG’s impact on a sustainable built environment.

Outside of his professional pursuits, he is a dedicated basketball fan (Go Spurs Go and sorry Celtics) and a huge Manchester City supporter. He is also a coffee enthusiast who enjoys making pour-over coffee and collecting beans from all over the world.