Cottonwood is a U.S.-based real estate private equity firm with a proven track record, time-tested throughout market cycles. Since our founding in 2012, our opportunistic investment platform has invested across the capital stack to generate attractive risk-adjusted returns.
At the core of our investment platform is our unique development and operating bench-strength, enabling us to skillfully manage any investment through the real estate lifecycle. From acquisition, entitlement, and permitting to design, development, construction management, leasing, sales, and eventual exit, our integrated approach is designed to maximize value at every step.
Besides our core competence in real estate, members of our Management Committee have managed financial institutions and public companies globally, with experience in restructuring, bankruptcies, and investment banking; as well as hands-on operating experiences in both real estate and other industries. This not only gives us a broad perspective with each of our investments, but also enables us to approach structuring, capital markets execution, and asset management with a differentiated approach.
Chairman &
Chief Executive Officer
Chief Investment Officer
& Managing Director
Head of Portfolio & Risk Management
& Managing Director
Chief Financial Officer
& Managing Director
Chief Compliance Officer
& General Counsel
Head of Capital Markets
& Managing Director
Just as we are fiduciaries to our investors and employees, Cottonwood embraces its responsibilities to provide a positive impact in our community – locally, nationally, & internationally.
CSR Commitment: Our CSR policy integrates the 6 UNPRI Principles into our business operations and investment process. We strive to ensure a positive impact on both people and the planet. To maximize all synergies, we incorporate the following guiding principles:
Commitment to Fair Labor Practices: Our Responsible Contractor Policy signifies our support towards a safe, productive and beneficial work environment.
BOYS AND GIRLS CLUB
MIT SLOAN SCHOOL OF MANAGEMENT
ASIAN COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION
PLURALISTIC SCHOOL ONE
CHINESE AMERICAN MUSEUM
GAVIN FOUNDATION
MIT DESIGN X
MIT SCHOOL OF ECONOMICS
Chairman & Chief Executive Officer
With more than 25 years of experience in international private equity, structured finance, special opportunities and distressed investing, Alexander Shing founded Cottonwood Group in 2012 to capitalize on opportunities emerging from the global financial crisis. A contrarian vision that continues to shape the firm’s focus on risk-adjusted absolute returns across market cycles.
As chairman and CEO, Alexander has grown Cottonwood into a national platform with offices in Los Angeles, Boston and New York, transacting or advising on more than $7.6 billion in assets. In 2023, he launched the Cottonwood Real Estate Special Situations Strategy, which attracted more than $1 billion in institutional commitments. He continues to expand the platform across funds and strategic initiatives, pursuing the same risk-adjusted returns that have guided Cottonwood since its founding.
Alexander has chaired public and private financial institutions, as well as organizations across the industrial, manufacturing and education sectors. He previously served as vice chairman of TISCO Financial Group Public Company Ltd., helping lead its transformation from TISCO Finance to TISCO Bank to its current holding company structure, during which the institution’s market capitalization increased tenfold. He was named to the Los Angeles Business Journal’s LA500 in 2025 and 2026 and, in 2026, served on the U.S.-Taiwan Business Council delegation focused on trade and investment relations between the two countries.
Outside the boardroom, Alexander supports higher education, arts and culture, and community development initiatives nationwide. He has endowed graduate and postdoctoral fellowships at MIT Sloan School of Management and MIT Economics, where he also serves as a visiting committee member. He earned a Bachelor of Science in economics from MIT.
Chief Investment Officer & Managing Director
Mark joined Cottonwood in 2022 and is responsible for oversight of Cottonwood’s investment platforms, ranging from overall strategy through implementation and execution, including supporting the growth and development of its investment teams. Mark possesses strong real estate investing and capital markets experience at all levels of the capital stack. Prior to joining Cottonwood, Mark was Managing Partner and Chief Investment Officer for Chatham Road Capital, a real estate credit-focused investment firm that seeks to capitalize on market imbalances and inefficiencies in the public and private markets. Mark previously served as a Managing Director at Jefferies Financial Group, where he managed real estate principal and special situation investment activities and was integral in the formation of Jefferies LoanCore, LLC, a broad-based finance company that originated commercial real estate debt-related products throughout the U.S. and the United Kingdom. Mark received a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration from Skidmore College, where he graduated cum laude with concentrations in finance and accounting, followed by a Master of Business Administration from Columbia Business School.
Head of Portfolio & Risk Management & Managing Director
Michael joined Cottonwood in 2012 and is a Managing Director managing Cottonwood’s US$3 billion real estate credit portfolio and oversees other real estate investments.
Previously, Michael worked in the investment banking division of Credit Suisse Group—where he executed public markets financings and provided mergers and acquisitions advisory services—and also served as the Director of Corporate Development at Vaultus Mobile Technologies Inc., overseeing venture capital funding, strategic investments and partnerships. Michael received a Master of Business Administration with distinction from the Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth College and a bachelor’s degree in Economics and Political Science from Rice University.
Chief Financial Officer & Managing Director
Jeffrey joined Cottonwood in 2017 and is currently responsible for overseeing Cottonwood’s investments, capital markets, portfolio management and administrative operations. Jeffrey also possesses broad experience in the evaluation and execution of distressed credit and special situations investments. Prior to joining Cottonwood, Jeffrey was with Lazard where he specialized in distressed debt, restructuring and recapitalization transactions across multiple industries, both in the U.S. and abroad. Jeffrey received a B.S. in Business Administration, with concentrations in finance and accounting, from Georgetown University, where he graduated magna cum laude.
Andrew has served as Group General Counsel since 2015 and is responsible for overseeing all Cottonwood legal affairs. Andrew has over 30 years’ experience providing financing, transactional and corporate law services to select clients throughout the world. Andrew is a founding partner of NNDKP, one of the largest and most respected law firms in Southeastern Europe, where he provided legal and business assistance to Fortune 100 clients. He also served as Adjunct Professor of Law at Cornell Law School, teaching Corporate Finance in Emerging Markets. Andrew began his career as law clerk to the Hon. Harold M. Fong, Jr., Chief Judge of the Federal District Court for the District of Hawaii. Andrew earned a B.A. with high distinction from University of Virginia and received his J.D., cum laude, from Harvard Law School. He is a member of the Washington State Bar.
Head of Capital Markets & Managing Director
As Managing Director and Head of Capital Markets at Cottonwood Group, Tang leads the firm’s global capital markets strategy, overseeing fundraising, syndication, and capital allocation efforts. Since 2021, he has spearheaded initiatives that secured approximately $1.5 billion in third-party capital commitments for U.S. real estate investments, building on a decade-long collaboration with Cottonwood Group’s CEO. His contributions to the industry have earned him recognition as one of Commercial Observer’s Top Young Professionals in 2024, a 2025 Leaders of Influence in Private Equity by the Los Angeles Business Journal, and GlobeSt. CRE Aspiring Leaders of 2025.
Before joining Cottonwood, Tang played a pivotal role in developing a Seattle-based family office’s real estate platform from inception to over $1 billion in third-party capital commitments within seven years. He also previously co-founded a successful marketing and branding startup, which had movie studios and the largest Canadian telecommunications company as clients.
Beyond his professional achievements, Tang is dedicated to community impact. He co-founded the Chinese Canadian Leaders Foundation (CCLF), which supports Chinese-Canadian students as they enter the workforce.
Tang holds a B.A. degree from the Ivey Business School at Western University in Canada.