John F. Burkart to join Welltower as Executive Vice President, Chief Operating Officer

Welltower® Inc. (NYSE: WELL) today announced thatit has appointed John F. Burkart as Executive Vice President, Chief Operating Officer. Upon joining Welltower on July 19, 2021, Mr. Burkart will assume leadership responsibilities across the organization, includingplatform-wide operations, asset and portfolio management, data analytics, research, and joint venture partnerships. Mr. Burkart brings significant operational expertise to Welltower and will utilize a data-driven approach to driveplatform efficiencies, capital allocation decisions, and technological innovation across the Company. He will serve on the Company’s executive team and investment committee, and will report to Shankh Mitra, CEO and CIO.

Prior to joining Welltower, Mr. Burkart spent 25 years at Essex Property Trust (NYSE: ESS), a best-in-class multifamily REIT, most recently serving as Senior Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer. As COO, Mr. Burkart held critical and wide-ranging responsibilities, including theoversight of operations, redevelopment and capital maintenance, research, and information technology. Mr. Burkart is widely-respected for his many accomplishments at Essex, including the development of its revenue management platform and theimplementation of numerous technology and optimization initiatives. He was also keenly involved in the execution of Essex’s capital deployment strategy. Under his leadership, Essex consistently generated industry leading growth in net operatingincome.

“We are extremely fortunate to welcome someone of John’s caliber to the Welltower team,” stated Shankh Mitra, Welltower’sCEO. “I have known John for over a decade and have witnessed the tremendous value he and his team have created for shareholders through operational innovation and astute capital allocation. As with Welltower, John shares a passion fordata-driven decision-making in all facets of an organization. His expertise, leadership, and strategic vision will be invaluable as we embark on a number of growth opportunities in the coming years.”

“It is with great excitement that I join the extraordinary team at Welltower,” said Mr. Burkart. “I am confident that my nearly threedecades of operational experience will allow me to quickly contribute to the company’s numerous internal and external opportunities. Welltower is positioned to drive exceptional long-term growth and I am humbled to play a role in executing thecompany’s strategy.”

Mr. Burkart holds a BS in Finance from San Jose State University and an MBA in Real Estate from Golden GateUniversity.