Isabelle Turri

Guarulhos, São Paulo , Brasil
University of São Paulo B.S. in Civil Engineering

Isabelle grew up in Guarulhos, Brazil, in a family of small business owners. Her childhood playground was her grandfather’s construction materials store, where she would climb sandbags, mix paint colors, and answer phones like a budding entrepreneur. This early exposure sparked a lifelong passion for building—and for cities. She earned her Civil Engineering degree from the University of São Paulo (POLI-USP), determined from early on to innovate and eventually lead her own venture in Real Estate. 

Driven by an insatiable curiosity and the belief that a successful leader in the industry must be multidisciplinary, she pursued a diverse range of professional experiences. She began her career in a Real Estate debt fund, then joined a development company, gaining experience in land acquisition and urban strategy. Seeking broader skills, she joined XP Inc.—Brazil’s most innovative bank—where she helped build a new business segment from scratch, hiring and training a high-performance team of over 300 people in under a year. Still, her passion for Real Estate called her back. Her passion for Real Estate led her back to the sector, where she dove into research on Brazil’s nascent Multifamily housing market. Soon after, she joined Greystar to help implement the company’s first Multifamily developments in Brazil, managing projects within a R$1.7B fund backed by CPP Investments. In addition, she played a key role in closing Greystar’s first student housing transaction outside of Europe and the U.S.and also served as an Asset Manager for the portfolio. 

Now at MIT, Isabelle is eager to continue learning, focused on two fronts where she believes she can generate the greatest impact: sustainability and affordable housing. She is committed to creating long-term housing solutions in Latin America through interdisciplinary, innovation-driven strategies that align market potential with social inclusion. She believes that science and innovation can transform lives, and she is committed to shaping a more inclusive and resilient housing landscape in Brazil and beyond.