Meet Arran Cooper, Director of Market Development and Strategy (MDS)

Leadership Spotlight: Arran Cooper

Nuveen Green Capital’s success is driven by the exceptional leaders who bring vision, expertise, and passion to our mission every day. In our Leadership Spotlight series, we shine a light on the remarkable individuals who are shaping the future of sustainable commercial real estate financing and making a meaningful impact on the industry. Today, we're excited to feature Arran Cooper, whose leadership in Market Development and Strategy has been instrumental in expanding our C-PACE platform nationwide.

Washington, D.C. based Arran Cooper of the Market Development and Strategy (MDS) Team has been a driving force for the firm for over four years. Initially focused on the East Coast, Arran has led his team to expand the robust MDS platform through strategic partnerships while helping to raise awareness for C-PACE across the U.S.

Where are you from originally?

I was born and raised in Washington, D.C., which has given me a unique perspective on policy development and the intersection of public and private sector initiatives that drive programs like C-PACE forward.

What do you do in your current role?

I currently lead our regional MDS platform, which encompasses several key areas: generating national channel partnerships that expand our reach, increasing market awareness of our platform, and driving originations growth across the US and abroad.

What led you to this career path?

I started my career in mortgage banking, arranging debt & equity for commercial real estate (CRE) projects, which was effectively a crash course in CRE finance. After several years I realized that I wanted to be a part of an impact-focused, growth-oriented team and business, which led me to Greenworks, now Nuveen Green Capital where I could combine my finance expertise with meaningful environmental, economic and social impact.

What do you see in the future for sustainability financing, C-PACE and this business?

C-PACE financing will continue to become more institutionalized and gain significant market share as a viable, attractive form of capital to fund commercial real estate projects. We're seeing increased awareness among developers, property owners, and financial institutions about the accretive benefits of C-PACE financing.

How and why is this important to you?

What is important to you with regard to helping to lead within our mission-driven organization?

In our organization, I'm motivated by the responsibility to translate our environmental mission into positive business outcomes. This requires a different kind of leadership discipline - one that consistently connects daily decisions to long-term impact while maintaining the urgency needed for aggressive growth. What matters most to me is building leadership practices that amplify our mission rather than compromise it. This means developing teams who see our impact goals not as constraints, but as innovation catalysts that differentiate us in the market.