Christopher Marks stands out for reinventing himself mid-career, leaving a 15-year run as a senior managing director at Marcus & Millichap to build Surmount’s capital markets platform from the ground up. In short order, he has positioned the new platform to close more than $300 million in net lease financing in a single year, while maintaining a relentless focus on transparency and education among lenders, brokers, and principals. Throughout his more than 20 years in capital markets, Marks has closed upwards of 2,000 transactions totaling more than $10 billion in loan volume, consistently earning industry recognition and internal awards.
Marks now leads Surmount’s Capital Markets team of eight professionals, overseeing recruiting, training, origination, and execution across the platform while helping to drive firmwide strategic growth. He has pioneered creative structures such as bridge‑to‑sale‑leaseback lines and revolving credit platforms that broaden access to capital across asset classes and give developers new tools to scale. Beyond production, Marks channels his success into philanthropy and mentorship, helping raise hundreds of thousands of dollars for youth and community organizations through Surmount and personally supporting groups ranging from the Boys & Girls Club to first-responder charities.
