On Staying Put, Leading & Learning
Meeting with Brian Finnegan, President, COO at Brixmor
I’m drawn to stories of professionals who lead and evolve in ways that offer learnings for others. Their stories reflect the themes explored in my coaching practice—career choices, leadership growth, navigating transitions. One of those stories is Brian Finnegan’s.
I first met Brian in 2007 during a streak of acquisitions by Centro Australia that formed what is now Brixmor (BRX), a shopping center real estate investment trust (REIT). He and I spent the better part of 15 years together building programs to attract and develop leasing talent, navigating complex organizational challenges, and helping each other grow—me, in my role as head of HR/Talent, and Brian steadily rising through the revenue production ranks.
Today, Brian is President, COO at Brixmor. His career—from leasing rep to executive leadership—reflects steady progression, a learner’s mindset, and a commitment to people and performance.
In a recent conversation with my former colleague and long-time friend, we talked about what’s shaped his journey, how he leads today, and what keeps things fresh.
Staying Put—And Growing
Carolyn: You’ve spent nearly your whole career at one company. Why has that path made sense for you?
Brian: While it’s one company, it hasn’t been one job. I’ve held many roles, and I’ve moved around—Philly, DC, the West Coast, and New York. Each change brought new opportunities for growth, new people, new perspectives. This has been one of the greatest gifts of my life.
When Centro acquired Kramont (where I worked), we were the first of their three big U.S. acquisitions. That gave us some time to develop trust with Centro leadership and as the company grew, many of us had access to amazing opportunities.
Someone once told me: “Before you look elsewhere, take a good look at where you are.” That stuck. It’s easy to focus on frustrations—but those exist everywhere. The key is to fully explore the potential in front of you before looking beyond it.
I’ve seen others take the external route and that’s worked great for them. For me, this has worked out well.
The work of shopping centers is also just fun. People have a grocery store they always go to. They have favorite restaurants. They get excited when a new business opens. They get upset when one closes. We get to be a part of that every day. And things change quickly, so it’s always interesting.
We recently hosted "Bring Your Kids to Work Day," and the kids worked in small teams planning and building their own versions of shopping centers. It is a great reminder of how engaging this work is.
Leading Across Functions
Carolyn: You’ve transitioned from leading revenue teams to overseeing several operating functions. How has your leadership evolved?
Brian: In late 2023, we brought most operating teams—leasing, redevelopment, construction, IT, and marketing—under one roof. We’ve been calling it "One Brixmor" to facilitate consistency across the platform.
This structure lets us work even more strategically. We can look across functions, align on goals, identify resource gaps, and move faster. I think in terms of goals: What’s the outcome? What’s in the way? What’s needed? How do we bring people together to get there?
We’re also making more data-driven decisions, thanks to our talented IT team. We’re really seeing what’s possible when we put the right tools in the right hands.
It’s been rewarding to see people step up—leaders like Jason Vipperman, our SVP of Property Management—bringing their own best practices into broader application. And I’ve learned a lot too, especially from senior leaders like Bill Brown, our EVP, Chief Redevelopment and Construction Officer, who’s helped me understand how to move complex redevelopment projects forward day by day.
The way we work is still entrepreneurial as reflected in our Cultural Tenets and as we are often reminded by our CEO, Jim Taylor — “the best ideas often come from those closest to the real estate”. But we’re getting stronger systems in place now too. It’s exciting.
Always Learning
Carolyn: To me, you’ve always been a lifelong learner. I remember the story of the Franklin Planner seminar your mom signed you up for. Can you share that story and what you’ve read or listened to that’s shaped you?
Brian: Yes! First, my brother and I were fortunate to grow up with loving parents. My mom was the breadwinner in our family and a huge influence. She was always working to grow professionally, and she found the Franklin Planner system which was born from Covey’s "The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People". Organization and time management were big struggles for her—as they are for many salespeople, including myself – and she tried to instill some of those “7 Habits” in us when we were young.
I was in high school and my brother, Kevin, was in grade school when she signed us up for the Franklin Planner seminar. Let’s just say we gave her some pushback (laughs) and it was comical to see us in class with all the adults, but in college I got more serious about learning, and then I’ve used the Franklin Planner my entire career. It gives me tools for organization —which, like my mom I am always working on -- and it was a good start in building a mindset for personal and professional growth. My brother and I are both grateful for my mom’s early push on this. Kevin’s a partner at a law firm here in NYC now.
Some books and a talk that have really stayed with me:
10% Happier by Dan Harris — taught me to recognize thoughts as just thoughts. The idea that "you can’t stop the waves, but you can learn to surf" has helped me a lot. We even hosted Dan for a BRX Big Brain team event a couple of years ago.
The Obstacle Is the Way by Ryan Holiday came to me during a challenging time in my professional life. One story that stuck with me recounts Thomas Edison watching his factory burn down—along with much of his life’s work. When someone remarked that he must feel devastated, Edison replied, “Well, I’m glad I wasn’t in there.” He didn’t just rebound from the loss—he excelled. The book teaches us about perspective and to find opportunities when faced with setbacks.
Blackstone’s Jon Gray speaking at his daughter’s commencement ceremony – Jon talked about staying curious, about wonder. That beginner’s mindset resonates. LINK HERE
Setting the Table by Danny Meyer and Unreasonable Hospitality by Will Guidara –These two books push the idea of going way above expectations—creating memorable experiences for customers. That’s an approach that applies far beyond restaurants. We’ve shared these books across BRX teams.
The Comfort Crisis by Michael Easter – A recent favorite. It’s about finding comfort in the uncomfortable and how pushing yourself — stress in small doses — can be good for you over time, physically and mentally. I’ve tried some of the exercises from it myself.
This Sh*t Works by Julie Brown –Julie writes about traits of great salespeople and connects how those traits are also for anyone looking to meet new people and communicate more effectively. She spoke at BRX’s most recent Big Brain event, and it reminded me of how I’m not great when I’m not around people. It’s why I like spending time in our offices with the team, joining our sales teams in their retailer meetings, and being at industry events like ICSC Vegas. PS: This book makes a great graduation gift!
Carolyn: Thank you, Brian. You continue to lead with curiosity and a clear sense of purpose—and it shows.