Rastegar (“Rastegar” or the “Company”), the real estate investment and development company based in Austin, Texas, today announced the appointment of Fatma Tarlaci, Ph.D. as its Chief Technology Officer, effective immediately.

A technologist with over a decade of experience in artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning (ML) and data science technologies, Dr. Tarlaci will be responsible for developing best-in-class proprietary AI tools for Rastegar that will support the firm’s bullish real estate investment strategy and long-term growth.

“Rastegar is always on the frontier of innovation, so the development of fully customized AI tools is critical for the next phase of our strategic growth,” said Ari Rastegar, Founder and CEO of Rastegar. “Since Rastegar’s inception, we have always implemented a robust, data-driven strategy to ensure we remain ahead of the curve and Fatma Tarlaci’s extensive experience will build on this strong foundation, to add real value to our firm and leadership team.”

Prior to Rastegar, Dr. Tarlaci was Vice President of Engineering at OpenTeams Inc., where she oversaw the software development cycle and led cross-disciplinary teams in delivering technical solutions that aligned with business needs.

“We are at a critical junction where having strong AI capabilities powering businesses is no longer a nice to have but an existential requirement. The impact and potential for the real estate industry are substantial, and I am thrilled to join Rastegar as Chief Technology Officer to harness this potential effectively,” said Dr. Tarlaci. “Rastegar has the vision to develop custom technology in-house, which creates a unique opportunity to build a department from the ground up. I am excited to join a team led by Ari Rastegar who has strong vision for technology to exponentially grow the reach of the business and understands the current limitations of these technologies. This ensures a balanced and realistic approach to building a firm that is truly cutting edge.”

Dr. Tarlaci holds a Master of Science in computer science from Stanford University, as well as a Ph.D. in Comparative Literature from the University of Texas at Austin. She currently serves as Adjunct Assistant Professor of Computer Science at the University of Texas at Austin, and previously led a computer programming course at Stanford University, as well.

Rastegar uses cutting-edge data and technology to inform its strategy in creating a real estate portfolio that creates thriving communities and delivers long-term returns for investors. It currently has nine projects in Texas and Arizona totaling over 5.6m sq ft and $1.5bn including Inf1nity Park, the 600,000 sq ft industrial park in Del Valle; Inf1nity Square, the 318-acre master-planned community in Kyle; 1899 McKinney, a luxury residential building in uptown Dallas; and a multifamily development on South Congress, the most iconic street in Austin.

About Rastegar

Rastegar is a vertically integrated real estate investment and development firm based in Austin, Texas. Founded by CEO Ari Rastegar in 2015, Rastegar focuses on core real estate verticals including office, industrial, multi-family and master-planned communities. The firm primarily invests in major markets in the United States Sun Belt, with unparalleled local knowledge and expertise and a strong track record in rezoning. Rastegar has built a recession-resilient real estate portfolio that drives returns for its investors, capitalizing on locations, asset classes and opportunities that will produce long-term value and income for investors. Rastegar has experience in 38 cities and 13 states across the US and currently has a portfolio of over 5.6m sq ft and $1.5bn of real estate developments.

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