David Simon, Simon Property CEO, Dies at 64

David Simon, the longtime chairman, president and chief executive of Simon Property Group, died Sunday at age 64 after a battle with pancreatic cancer, the company announced Monday from its headquarters in Indianapolis.

Simon, who led the world's largest retail real estate owner for more than three decades, joined the company's predecessor, Melvin Simon & Associates, in 1990 as chief financial officer. He orchestrated its initial public offering on the New York Stock Exchange in 1993, one of the largest real estate listings at the time, and became CEO two years later at age 33. Under his direction, Simon Property Group expanded through a series of major acquisitions, including DeBartolo Realty Corporation, Chelsea Property Group, the Mills Corporation and Taubman Centers, totaling more than $40 billion in deals. These moves reshaped the commercial real estate sector and grew the portfolio to more than 250 properties encompassing over 200 million square feet across North America, Europe and Asia.

The company credited Simon with transforming malls from transactional spaces into experiential destinations focused on shopping, dining and entertainment. This strategy helped the firm...