BKREA founder brings 42 years of elite sales performance, leadership and reinvention to conference stages, corporate events and leadership programs nationwide
-- Bob Knakal is now accepting keynote and speaking engagements for 2027. He is widely considered one of the most prolific commercial real estate brokers in U.S. history and a sought-after voice on leadership, sales excellence and reinvention. He is available for conferences, sales kickoffs, corporate leadership events and industry association meetings, as well as select podcast and media appearances.
Over a 42-year career in New York City, Bob Knakal has personally brokered the sale of more than 2,428 properties totaling $25.1 billion in value and more than 95 million square feet. Now he helps organizations navigate change, build trust, motivate their sales teams and sustain elite performance.
A Track Record Audiences Can Learn From
Knakal co-founded Massey Knakal Realty Services and built it into one of the most dominant sales organizations in the country. According to CoStar research, from 2001 through 2014 the firm sold more than 4,000 New York City properties, while the next-closest firm sold about 1,300. That is a lead of more than three to one for fourteen straight years. The firm became a case study in systems, specialization, culture, accountability and servant leadership, and was sold to Cushman & Wakefield for $100 million in 2014. Today, dozens of New York investment sales companies and divisions are owned or led by professionals Knakal trained or mentored.
At a stage when most leaders slow down, Knakal started over. He is now founder, Chairman and CEO of BKREA, a brokerage using artificial intelligence to rethink how deals get done. He is also the bestselling co-author, with Rod Santomassimo, of Selling Buildings: Maximizing Prices and Profits in Commercial Real Estate. Its first printing sold out immediately after release.
“People assume someone with 40-plus years in the business would be slowing down. I’ve never been hungrier,” said Knakal. “When I’m on stage, I want every person in the room to leave with more energy and at least one thing they can put to work the following morning.”
Trusted by Event Organizers
Organizers describe Knakal as a high-energy, story-driven speaker who keeps audiences engaged from start to finish. The New York State Society of CPAs re-engaged him for several years in a row to open its conference as the foremost authority on New York’s real estate market. SIOR Global President Saadia Sheikh praised him as someone who is “fully present in the experience” well beyond his time on stage. The founder of CCC has said “Knakal brings value to the organization’s national audience every time he speaks”.
“Bob Knakal delivered an exceptional keynote for our commercial real estate event,” said Cynthia Lee, CCIM, President of KW Commercial. “He is proof that success is not about being the smartest person in the room; it is about being intentional, disciplined, and wanting to win more than anyone else. Our group walked away energized, challenged, and reminded of what is possible. I would highly recommend Bob to any organization looking for a keynote speaker who can truly connect with and motivate an audience.”
Knakal is also a proven media voice. He has made more than 120 podcast appearances, published more than 500 articles, appeared on the Netflix series Owning Manhattan, and been ranked the #1 Commercial Real Estate Influencer on LinkedIn and X.
Signature Keynotes
- The Third Act: Why your best years may still be ahead
- The DNA of Success: What makes an elite salesperson.
- How Winners Keep Winning: The discipline behind sustained elite performance
- Old School Grit, New School Tools: Winning in a rapidly changing, AI-driven world
- Trust Wins: How reputation becomes your greatest competitive advantage
- Still Hungry: Why drive matters more than age
- The Last Few Seconds: Urgency, purpose and making your time count
What Audiences Walk Away With: renewed energy and motivation, practical systems they can apply immediately, clear frameworks for navigating change, and a blueprint for reinvention.
Ideal for: sales organizations, leadership conferences, financial services firms, real estate and investment groups, entrepreneur networks, executive teams, and experienced leaders navigating their next chapter.
About the company: BKREA is a New York City commercial real estate investment sales and advisory firm led by Bob Knakal. The firm exclusively represents sellers in property sales and provides valuations, zoning analysis and market research, combining decades of transaction experience with proprietary data and technology to help owners make informed decisions.
Contact Info:
Name: Bob Knakal
Email: Send Email
Organization: BKREA
Address: 135 West 36th Street NY NY 10018
Phone: 212-888-8850
Website: https://www.bkrea.com/
Release ID: 89207018
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