Merri Jo Cowen, Chief Vision Officer at Stellar MLS and Executive Vice President at Universal Consulting Opportunities (UCO), will deliver a keynote address titled “From Paris to Istanbul” at the International MLS Forum in Istanbul on November 16–17, 2026. The event, now in its fourth edition, will be held at Raffles Istanbul. UCO, a subsidiary of Stellar MLS, returns as Title Partner for the third consecutive year, having supported the forum since its inception.
Cowen’s message is that markets can develop organized real estate marketplaces without importing the North American MLS model wholesale. With more than 40 years in the MLS industry and participation in every forum since its inaugural gathering in Paris, she argues that locally relevant solutions are both possible and necessary. “What I will be talking about is really focusing on opportunity,” Cowen said. “I’ve seen it all. I just feel like there’s nothing we can’t overcome if there’s a willingness.”
Since the Paris forum, conversations have turned into agreements. At last year’s forum in Toronto, Stellar MLS was one of five organizations from the U.S., Canada, France and the United Arab Emirates to sign the cross-border data share that launched the Global Data Exchange (GDX). Cowen serves as GDX Board President through 2026. Ahead of Istanbul, FIABCI, the International Real Estate Federation, has joined GDX.
For consumers, the absence of an organized listing system can mean fragmented property information, inconsistent prices and uncertainty about whom to trust. “A buyer could see the same property at five different prices, listed by five different agents,” Cowen said. “How do they know who the best agent is to work with?” An MLS can provide a framework for shared listing information and professional cooperation, but the right structure depends on local laws, business practices and market needs. Cowen cautions against treating the U.S. and Canadian approach as a universal template. “We need to reinforce that it’s possible. It’s not one size fits all,” she said. “The model we have here in the United States and Canada is not necessarily the perfect model for another global entity, but it’s possible.”
Through UCO, Cowen and her team work with international organizations exploring how to establish or strengthen organized real estate marketplaces. That work goes beyond choosing software; it can involve the rules, governance, data practices and relationships needed to make cooperation viable over time. “If you sit down and figure out what your market needs, and then you have some help pulling that together, you can start that framework of an MLS that can evolve to where you want it to go,” she said. “But you have to start. That’s the key: start somewhere; it can be done.”
Connecting established MLS organizations is another part of the opportunity. GDX seeks to facilitate cross-border listing exchange among participating MLSs, which Cowen sees as a practical way for MLS organizations to broaden resources for their members while retaining control over their participation. “I think it’s going to open a lot of doors for agents and brokers all across the globe to connect with potential buyers and sellers,” she said. For MLSs focused on their local market, she sees it as an achievable first step. “There’s a huge opportunity here for MLSs to build a network for their agents to expand their business, even if that’s all they do,” Cowen said. “There’s something there that can be done that’s relatively simple. It doesn’t involve a huge investment, but it will expand the opportunities for their agents.”
Cowen believes in-person gatherings can turn an initial conversation into an idea worth pursuing. “It’s not just business building through networking. It’s the excitement that comes from an idea, or learning something new, or hearing a success story,” she said. “It motivates others to move forward and continue building.” As the fourth International MLS Forum approaches, her invitation to markets considering an MLS and to established organizations exploring international connections is straightforward: “Be curious.” Tickets are available now.
