Thought Leaders Interview Series: Caleb Dunn, Pantera

“There are lots of platforms out there to help investors make better-informed decisions. It’s how you combine and integrate the data from those platforms and become ‘super users’.”

Caleb Dunn is the Co-founder and CEO of Pantera, a technology business that provides modern tools for commercial property appraisals, investment management and portfolio modelling.

What is the mission of Pantera?

To be the go-to platform for analysing commercial property investment decisions. Widely trusted by the industry as the best way to mitigate risk and uncover opportunities.

We strongly believe that investment plans and appraisals can benefit from becoming more strategic and data-driven, while still catering to investors of all levels.

What excites you most about commercial property investment in 2023?

We are particularly excited about the potential for mixed-use developments to drive returns while delivering important benefits to the communities and cities in which they are located.

By combining residential, leisure, and retail spaces in a single project, developers can create vibrant, dynamic communities that offer a range of amenities and services to their residents and visitors.

From a financial perspective, these kinds of projects can be particularly attractive, as they have the potential to generate multiple streams of revenue and offer a degree of diversification that can help mitigate risk.

At Pantera, we are committed to working with our partners to develop mixed-use projects that deliver strong financial returns while also creating lasting value for communities.

The biggest challenge we face in the built environment?

Not a groundbreaking opinion here but it’s got to be sustainability. With climate change becoming an ever-increasing concern, it is imperative that we find ways to reduce the environmental impact of the built environment, both in terms of construction and operation.

This requires a significant shift in mindset and investment in sustainable technologies and materials. There are many ways to look at this issue and it’s easy to get sidetracked. So one of the major challenges for decision-makers is selecting the most impactful projects to undertake.

There’s still work required to encourage sustainable practices among tenants and property owners of course, such as energy-efficient building management and green leases.

We’re working to address some of these issues through visual design and AI-powered forecasting tools. Because providing investors with valuable insights into the potential cash flows of commercial properties, helps them make more informed investment decisions.

In 2050, what will our cities look like?

More connected and sustainable than ever before.

With the rapid development of smart technologies and the increasing focus on sustainability, we can expect to see greater integration of technology into urban infrastructure. This includes the widespread adoption of electric and autonomous vehicles and the development of smart grids and renewable energy sources.

It’s exciting to see the increased level of green spaces and sustainable buildings, which won’t slow down.

Pair this with increased investment in public transport and active transportation infrastructure and ultimately, cities will evolve with the needs of people and the planet in mind, creating more livable and resilient urban environments.

Your thoughts on what makes a shrewd asset manager today?

One who is proactive, adaptable, and technologically savvy.

They must be able to analyse market trends and data to make informed decisions about investments and asset management strategies.

In addition, they need to be able to leverage technology to improve efficiency and provide greater transparency to investors. There are lots of platforms out there to help investors make better-informed decisions but it’s how you combine and integrate the data from those platforms and become “super users”.

They must be able to balance risk and reward, while also maintaining a long-term perspective on the value of the asset.

The stand-out asset manager will combine these elements so that they can have meaningful input on the strategic direction of their own business, not just their assets.