To address statewide issues and propose solutions in the wake of the COVID-19 health crisis, FivePoint Chairman and CEO Emile Haddad was appointed by California Gov. Gavin Newsom this spring to the California Business and Jobs Recovery Task Force, where he also serves as Co-Chair of the Capital Markets & Infrastructure subcommittee. Haddad joins California leaders such as Disney's Bob Iger and Apple CEO Tim Cook – along with approximately 80 others in business, labor, health, philanthropy and government – to tackle the COVID-19 “pandemic-induced recession” impacting the state.
“The task force will work to develop actions the government and businesses can take to help Californians recover as fast, as safely as possible from the COVID-19-induced recession and to shape a fair, green and prosperous future,” said the governor’s announcement memo.
The task force is meeting twice a month throughout 2020 to develop programs and policy recommendations to help all Californians, with a focus on individuals hardest hit by the pandemic.
Haddad said he was honored to have been chosen to help rebuild California’s economy.
“I view myself as someone who builds communities, and as such, we tend to touch every element of a community, whether it is in how people live or work, or environmental issues or health care,” said Haddad. “I’m hoping that my role on the task force will not be as narrow as, ‘What impact does it have in real estate?’ or ‘Does that change real estate?’ But it’s really more in terms of, ‘What are the things that we believe need to be done to open up the economy and accelerate its recovery — while keeping an eye on health?’”
“We all have to have the flexibility to adjust to what the data is going to tell us.”