Meet our team.
(We’ll also meet you for dinner.)
We’ll meet your needs.
Yair Tilson
Founder & CEO
Yair Tilson founded Kay Finance in 2013, and within a decade established offices in New York, Tel Aviv, and South Africa.
Yair began his career at the top, as a loan originator at Greystone, the number-one ranked Federal Housing Administration multifamily and healthcare financial lender in the U.S. He first ventured into the real-estate industry as an onsite manager for the Ramot Group, one of the largest property management companies in Israel.
As CEO, Yair works with high-profile sponsors across the United States and has successfully transacted over $2.5B of debt and equity placement. Most noteworthy, though, he also successfully negotiates healthy breakfast choices with his daughters each morning.
Yair holds a B.A. in communications and an M.B.A. in international business and diplomacy from the Interdisciplinary Center of Herzliya.
Email: yair@kayfinance.com
Rikki Jack
Managing Director, Kay Finance, South Africa
Rikki’s real estate career began at a Cape Town-based firm where he sold turnkey buy-to-rent single-family residential properties across the U.S. He swiftly climbed to a partnership position as the group opened a new division to syndicate medical office buildings in Georgia, USA. From there Rikki branched out to multifamily apartment syndications, enthralled by the sector's massive liquidity, its many avenues to add value to an asset, and its various debt options.
Rikki was responsible for sourcing deal flow and facilitating due diligence on multiple projects for multifamily investment companies, totaling more than $300M. In 2019, he formed his own business, Creative Real Estate, an acquisitions and asset management advisory firm in the multifamily and medical-office sector.
Alex Yudin
Senior Vice President of Operations
Since joining the team three years ago, Alex has originated over $150M for Kay Finance and has closed deals of all sizes with various asset classes.
Alex launched his real estate career as a residential broker in Tel Aviv after a three-year stint in the Israeli military. After several years of renting and selling properties, Alex discovered a wider world of real estate and jumped to commercial real estate financing.
In 2021, Alex was featured in the “Top 100 People” in Finance magazine. Today, Alex oversees day-to-day deal flow, providing clients with debt and equity solutions, and manages Kay Finance's clientele and lender relations. Alex lives in Tel Aviv with his wife, Julia, their daughter, Sophia, and Woods, the beloved family dog. When he’s not closing deals, you’ll find him on the tennis courts or at the beach with his family.
Email: alex@kayfinance.com
Daniel Rawson
Director of Origination, Kay NYC
Daniel supervises the transactions at Kay Finance’s New York office. With a 10+ year track record of success in structuring and underwriting complex capital stacks for real estate owners and developers, Daniel originates new business for Kay Finance, reviews incoming loan requests, and strategizes the optimal approach to structuring the debt and equity of each deal.
His extensive experience includes underwriting over $1.5 billion of transactions and assessing their viability for credit committee review, preparing credit memos for committee approval, and sourcing, negotiating, and structuring the financing for commercial real estate projects. An avid sports fan, when Daniel is not processing a deal he is likely watching or playing basketball, football, or baseball.
Daniel received his B.B.A. from the Zicklin School of Business at Baruch College.
Hartley Schwartz
Head of Business Development
Hartley Schwartz began his career in Israel’s fast-paced and growing tech industry. He now delivers a fresh outlook and expert market strategy to the commercial real estate industry.
He’s not only a veteran of business development and marketing; prior to his career in tech and real estate, Hartley served with distinction in the Israel Defence Forces as an infantry platoon sergeant and in vital leadership roles during combat operations.
He brings that single-minded focus to Kay Finance, intent on securing maximum value for our clients.
Insider tip: If he's not on client calls, you'll find him on an ice rink playing hockey.
Email: hartley@kayfinance.com
Eitan Rozenberg
Vice President of Mortgage Banking
Eitan is responsible for deal origination and placement, specializing in both the debt and equity side of the capital stack. He maintains a thorough vetting process with prospective clients, underwriting each deal to the highest standard. With his expansive network of banking relationships, Eitan quickly ascertains a select group of lenders for each project, ensuring a smooth and efficient closing. Currently, Eitan has analyzed and underwritten in excess of $1B of commercial real estate.
Eitan graduated Magna Cum Laude from the Honors program at the Sy Syms School of Business, with a focus on Real Estate Finance. He enjoys spending the weekend with his wife and two daughters, while also being an active member on his local community board.
Email: eitan@kayfinance.com
Eitan Jaret
Director of Business Development, Kay Equity
Eitan supervises Kay Finance’s equity department on both the processing and business development with Kay’s growing network of capital partners.
He began his career in a private equity shop, transacting with middle market companies in the aerial surveillance and advertising industries, performing detailed financial analyses and tax assessments on portfolio companies, and conducting diligence on new deal flow and investment opportunities.
He then moved to Israel, where he worked for an international bank providing buy-and-sell side advisory in B2B software, food and beverage, defense, and agriculture companies.
Eitan leverages his background to ensure thorough and meticulous results for sponsors launching deals and capital partners who carefully invest their capital.
Email: ejaret@kayfinance.com
Chaim Friedman
Lead Underwriting Officer
Chaim pivoted to Real Estate, leveraging his background in economics and a keen understanding of a the macro lending environment, particularly its impact on Commercial Real Estate (CRE) lending. Chaim assist in overseeing the processing of company deals in addition to managing communication with the associated clients. Chaim has processed $200M of loans across a slew of asset classes, while working hand in hand with Agency, HUD, Life companies and Debt Funds.
Chaim splits his time between Tel Aviv and New Jersey with his wife Leah. Chaim like to spend his free time training BJJ and relaxing on the beach. Chaim attended the Jerusalem College of Technology and also taught economics 101 there for 4 years. He is currently a CFA Level 2 candidate.
Email: chaim@kayfinance.com
