Cătălin Ștefănescu is a financial economist, academic leader, and strategic advisor with over 20 years of experience in finance, real estate, and emerging technologies. He is currently Academic Director and Clinical Professor at the NYU Schack Institute of Real Estate, where he oversees curriculum development, the teaching faculty, and program innovation, while strengthening industry partnerships and the alumni network.

His career combines top-tier university education in finance and real estate, financial consulting, blockchain strategy, and fintech entrepreneurship. As co-founder and CFO of Bleexy LLC, a blockchain-based startup, he led product development and fundraising through NSF grants for research and innovation.

His expertise covers corporate finance, sovereign debt restructuring, financial education, and decentralized finance (DeFi). He has taught at leading US universities including NYU, the University of Tennessee, UNC, Indiana University, the University of Maryland, and American University. With a collaborative style and a forward-looking outlook, Cătălin builds bridges between research and practice, helping prepare professionals for the challenges of the global economy.