Real Estate Broker Ido Berniker is Reinventing Fashion and Regniting Peace in Middle East

Albert Einstein once said, “Try not to become a man of success. Rather become a man of value.” And Ido Berniker believes if you really work at it, it’s possible to be both.

While that may sound like an idle boast from just another would-be entrepreneur trying to make a name for themselves in a competitive field, Berniker is the real deal, and he has both the pedigree and portfolio to prove it.

Primarily renowned for being a big player and something of a mercurial maverick in the world of real estate, the man from Israel is at heart a philanthropist determined to give something back and help strengthen the peace process in his beloved Middle East.

Of course, to make a difference in the scheme of things, it doesn’t hurt to have money and clout, and Berniker has accumulated both in abundance during the last decade.

Arriving in New York in 2007, he managed, through tenacity, perseverance, and in his own words, “the grace of God,” to forge a successful career in real estate.

Momentum has a habit of generating further momentum, and in 2012 Berniker co-founded Mercer Partners, which has since closed over $2 billion in sales.

Recognized as one of New York City’s top brokers by Real Deal, Berniker has proved to have a natural affinity with closing property deals, and 432 Park Avenue, 220 Central Park West, and the Plaza Hotel residences are just a few of his high profile closings. Berniker’s ambition wasn’t about to be solely confined to the Big Apple. He took his real estate expertise to the international stage and has been instrumental in extremely prestigious property deals in cities across the world, such as London and Miami.

In many ways, Berniker’s real estate career is just a means to an end. He has since spent his time and money investing in bringing fashion designers such as Iro Paris and James Perse to the Middle East.

Berniker is passionate about enriching and enhancing the fashion and artistic industries in his homeland. He believes if he has the money and connections to do it, then it’s his God-given duty.

It’s all part of his broader ambition to help bring lasting peace to the Middle East by involving himself in organizations such as ‘Children of Peace,’ which strives to help children in both Israel and Palestine through the mediums of art, education, and sports.

Berniker explained, “Growing up in Israel, I saw the terrible toll the conflict had on people on both sides of the divide. I believe in helping people put aside their differences and working together for the greater good. That, to me, is the true definition of success.”

As the saying goes, “The ones who are crazy enough to think they can change the world are the ones that do.”