Real Estate News & Investing Blog | GroundFloor

Groundfloor Welcomes J. Robert Varghese as New Head of Investments

Written by Groundfloor | Sep 30, 2025 2:21:08 PM

September 30, 2025

A seasoned investment leader joins Groundfloor to expand private market offerings and elevate the investor experience.

We’re excited to share that Groundfloor has officially appointed J. Robert Varghese as our new Head of Investments

At Groundfloor, we’ve always believed that private market investing shouldn’t be reserved for institutions and the ultra-wealthy. That’s why we’re excited to welcome Robert Varghese, our new Head of Investments who is focused on delivering new product categories that continue to level the playing field for everyday investors.

With more than 30 years of experience spanning global markets, private equity, real estate, and alternative investments, Robert brings a wealth of expertise that will directly benefit our growing base of retail investors.

Who Is Robert Varghese?

Robert is a proven strategist, portfolio manager, and advisor who has helped scale investment platforms and manage portfolios for family offices, endowments, foundations, and high-net-worth individuals.

Most recently, he served as Managing Partner at Tier One Capital Advisory, where he specialized in portfolio and fund management. His resume also includes leadership roles such as:

  • Chief Investment Officer at Arcus Capital Partners
  • Vice President & Senior Equity Research Analyst at SunTrust Bank
  • Partner & Director of Quantitative Research at Cadence Capital Management, where the mutual fund he managed grew from $2 million to $300 million and earned a 5-star Morningstar rating.
Throughout his career, Robert has overseen more than $300 million in real estate transactions, led investor relations, and consistently driven double-digit AUM growth.

 

Why This Matters for Groundfloor Investors

Groundfloor Co-Founder & CEO Brian Dally put it best:

“Groundfloor was founded on the idea of giving individual investors access to opportunities historically reserved for institutions. Robert’s depth of experience across alternative asset classes and his proven ability to scale investment platforms will be pivotal as we continue building the most accessible suite of private market products for retail investors.”

Robert’s new role at Groundfloor will focus on:

  • Overseeing and managing our growing investment portfolio
  • Leading investor education initiatives
  • Developing strategic partnerships to strengthen our suite of products and enhance the overall investor experience

What does this mean for you as an investor? It means more opportunities to learn, grow, and invest with confidence. By expanding our educational resources, we’ll make it easier than ever to understand private market investing, whether you’re just getting started or looking to diversify your portfolio further. And with stronger partnerships, Groundfloor can continue to bring innovative products and benefits directly to our community, giving everyday investors access to tools and opportunities once only available to institutions.

Joining Groundfloor at a Time of Growth

Robert joins Groundfloor during a period of rapid expansion. In 2024, we introduced new real estate-backed and private credit offerings, including the Flywheel Portfolio, our automated, hyper-diversified index product.

We also issued the first-ever Deferred Pay Residential Transition Loan (RTL) Bond for institutional investors, a first of its kind in private credit.

Today, Groundfloor has a community of more than 280,000 retail investors who have collectively invested more than $1.8 billion on our platform. Even amid volatile housing markets and high interest rates, our model has proven resilient continuing to deliver steady, attractive returns for everyday investors.

Looking Ahead

Robert’s appointment is another step in strengthening Groundfloor’s position as the most accessible, innovative private market investing platform. With his leadership, we’re excited to keep building products that level the playing field for all investors, not just the institutions.

To learn more and start investing with Groundfloor, visit Groundfloor.com or download the Groundfloor app on the Apple App Store or Google Play.

Want to connect with Robert? Follow him on LinkedIn to stay up to date on his insights and investment perspectives.