Louise Siviero Leitao
JPMorgan Chase Vice President in Commercial Real Estate Finance, she began her career in the summer of 2019 as an analyst on the firm’s CMBS Origination team and has steadily advanced through the organization. In her current role, she manages the full lifecycle of complex real estate financing transactions, bringing both technical expertise and strategic oversight to each deal. Her progression from analyst to Vice President reflects a strong command of capital markets, disciplined execution, and a client-centered approach to lending.
She oversees every stage of the transaction process—from reviewing client deal requests and coordinating underwriting analyses to securing pricing from the trading desk and negotiating loan structure and terms. Once a mandate is awarded, she leads the closing process, collaborating closely with rating agencies and B-buyers to ensure transactions are structured for successful execution in the securitization market. Highly client-facing, she prioritizes clear communication, risk management, and protecting the firm’s reputation, consistently operating with a philosophy of under-promising and over-delivering.
Among her most notable accomplishments are single-asset, single-borrower (SASB) securitizations—large-scale transactions representing entire securitization events marketed to investors. She also takes particular pride in navigating complex structuring challenges on smaller or balance sheet deals, crafting solutions that align client objectives with institutional standards. Currently, she is focused on building her own origination pipeline and further establishing herself as an independent originator within the commercial real estate finance space.
• Brown University
• Commercial Real Estate Women (CREW)
• Girl Gang
• New York Athletic Club
What do you attribute your success to?
I attribute my success to a combination of work ethic and mindset. From a young age, my parents instilled in me the importance of working hard, staying focused, and persisting through challenges. When I set a goal, I’m relentless about pursuing it—I’ve never been comfortable settling for less than what I believe I can achieve. While I’m fortunate to have strong natural abilities, I believe success is really the intersection of innate qualities, environment, and choice. I’ve intentionally placed myself in rigorous, high-performing environments—from attending Brown University to building my career at JPMorgan Chase—where I’m constantly challenged and surrounded by exceptional peers. Ultimately, it’s about maximizing the foundation you’re given and choosing to rise to the level of the rooms you step into.
What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?
The best career advice I’ve received hasn’t come in a single sentence, but through the example set by leaders and senior originators I’ve worked alongside. Watching them model high standards of execution, strong deal judgment, and thoughtful relationship-building has shaped how I approach my own performance. Being surrounded by driven professionals has pushed me to raise my standards and be intentional about how I grow in this industry.
What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
My advice to young women entering this industry is to be as informed as possible. Real estate—and finance more broadly—offers many different career paths, and the more you understand the market, the better decisions you’ll make. Have as many conversations as you can. Don’t just seek out people who can directly advance your career; talk to anyone in the field who’s willing to share their experience. There’s value in every perspective.
Knowledge is one of the most powerful advantages you can build. If you combine strong market knowledge with a solid work ethic, you’ll put yourself in a great position to succeed. Surround yourself with people who elevate your thinking—professionally and personally—and who have more experience navigating challenges. Being intentional about who you learn from and the environments you place yourself in can make all the difference in shaping your career trajectory.
What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
One of the biggest challenges in real estate over the past several years has been the market’s reaction to the pandemic—particularly in the office and retail sectors. The shift to remote and hybrid work created significant uncertainty, especially for office properties, as many tenants reduced their footprints or chose not to renew leases. For lenders and originators, that translated into real questions around long-term tenancy, valuation stability, and risk.
At the same time, I see that disruption as one of the industry’s greatest opportunities. Now that we’re several years removed from the height of the pandemic, the market has largely stabilized. Tenants have recalibrated—many have renewed leases or right-sized their space based on clearer workforce expectations. That clarity reduces the “unknown” factor and allows us to structure financing solutions around more predictable cash flows and occupancy trends.
Office, in particular, is showing meaningful signs of recovery. While fully remote models persist in some sectors, many companies have embraced hybrid structures, reinforcing the long-term value of in-person collaboration. As a result, we’re seeing attractive opportunities in loan origination where properties are repositioned thoughtfully and aligned with today’s workplace realities. The evolution of office demand isn’t just a challenge—it’s a chance to finance smarter, more resilient assets in a post-pandemic landscape.
What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
The values that guide me most are diligence, persistence, and excellence. I hold myself to high standards and am intentional about surrounding myself with people who challenge me to grow and elevate my thinking. Continuously building expertise in my field is important to me, and I believe discipline and balance are essential to sustaining strong, long-term performance.
Outside of work, I prioritize activities that help me recharge and stay grounded. I enjoy Pilates, tennis, reading, and baking—each of which provides a healthy counterbalance to the fast-paced nature of commercial real estate finance.