Christopher Schulte

Real Estate Investment & M&A Executive | Corporate Development · Investment Strategy · Portfolio Management

Cincinnati, Ohio, United States

About

Cross-sector investment executive with 20+ years spanning real estate investment, M&A, and corporate development — across Fortune 30 institutional and private equity platforms. At Kroger, I built and owned several of the functions behind how a major corporate deploys capital — from a lead role in enterprise capital allocation and national real estate acquisitions (retail / shopping centers and industrial) to building and leading the company's first dedicated M&A function from inception. As a standing participant on the Capital Committee and a core member of the executive team on the proposed $26Bn Albertsons merger, my work required coordinating senior cross-functional teams across some of the most complex transactions in the grocery industry. Most recently, I served as VP of Strategy & Capital Markets for Essential Growth Properties — a $300MM AUM grocery-anchored private equity real estate platform — setting portfolio investment strategy, directing a fully-negotiated corporate recapitalization, and developing debt and equity capital solutions across both funds. Not many investment executives have had the opportunity to operate across that range — from Fortune 30 institutional scale to building strategy for a growth-stage platform. It's shaped how I think about capital, risk, and what makes an investment function work at any size. I am actively engaged in my next opportunity across real estate investment platforms, REITs, and corporate real estate functions. Relocating to New York, Chicago, or Los Angeles — also open to the right opportunity in Cincinnati.

Experience

  • Vice President, Strategy & Capital Markets at Essential Growth Properties
    Apr 2024 - Mar 2026 · 2 yrs

  • Kroger (18 yrs 5 mos)
    • Director, Mergers & Acquisitions
      May 2018 - Apr 2024 · 6 yrs

    • Sr. Manager, Corporate Real Estate
      Aug 2016 - May 2018 · 1 yr 10 mos

    • Corporate Real Estate Manager
      Jul 2011 - Jul 2016 · 5 yrs 1 mo