Asia Real Estate People in the News 2021-06-21

Personnel moves by major real estate enterprises continue to serve as an indicator of corporate direction, as JLL accelerates its shift toward technology with the appointment of a leading Asian venture capitalist to its global board. Logos Group is also showing signs of growing its fund management business in Singapore with the hiring of a LaSalle veteran, and the former chief of City Developments’ hotel division has checked into a new role at Hilton.

JLL has added venture capitalist Tina Ju to its board, according to a recent announcement by the company. Ju, who was among the founders of the China branch of tech investment firm Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers (KPCB China) continues to serve as managing and general partner of the mainland unit of the Silicon Valley titan, while also holding parallel roles at Shanghai-based venture firm TDF Capital. With more than two decades of venture investment experience Ju now serves as an independent, non-executive director with the NYSE-listed property services provider.

Logos Group has hired fund management veteran Bart Coenraads to serve as group head of fund management, according to a LinkedIn update. Based in Singapore, Coenraads joined the industrial specialist recently after more than two years with the global strategy and global partner solutions division of LaSalle Investment Management, where he had led the business unit. The University of Amsterdam graduate also has previous experience with Aviva Investments and Fortis Investments.

Hilton Hotels has appointed Clarence Tan as senior vice president of development for Asia Pacific, according to a recent announcement by the hospitality giant. A 20-year industry veteran, Tan joins Hilton less than one year after resigning as group chief executive of City Developments’ Millennium Hotels and Resorts division as the pandemic plunged that business into losses. Continuing to be based in Singapore, Tan will now lead Hilton’s development strategy in the region. Before joining M&C Hotels & Resorts in April of last year, Tan had spent more than 16 years at Intercontinental Hotels Group.

Tom (Yiding) Zhang has joined GLP in Shanghai as a vice president with the company’s private equity real estate division. Zhang will be involved in GLP’s UBAN Capital US dollar investment strategy after having spent more than three years at the Abu Dhabi Investment Authority in Abu Dhabi. The graduate of the Sloan School of Management at MIT also has previous experience at Bank of China Group Investment and at China Vanke.

BentallGreenOak continues to add to its Asia Pacific team with the recent hire of former InfraRedNF Investment Advisers finance director Winkie Chu. Now a principal with BentallGreenOak in Hong Kong, Chu had spent nine years with InfraRedNF in the city where she most recently served as a finance director with the firm. The University of South Wales graduate also has previous experience with KPMG China and Baker Tilly Hong Kong.

Jady Xu has been promoted to head of sales for Greater China at Digital Realty, according to a recent update to her LinkedIn profile. Xu received her promotion this month after serving three years as a sales director for the data centre operator, and has now been with the NYSE-listed real estate investment trust since 2017. Based in Hong Kong, Xu also has experience with Alibaba Group, Vodafone and China Unicom.

Ivy Kwan has joined Urban Resort Concepts in Shanghai as senior vice president for commercial strategy and business development with the luxury hotel operator. A veteran of China’s hospitality industry, the Kota Kinabulu native joins URC after more than seven years as vice president of sales and marketing for Asia Pacific at Kerzner International. Kwan also has previous experience with the Ritz-Carlton group where she led sales and marketing at properties in Hong Kong and Shanghai.

Colliers International has promoted Charles Yan to head of occupier services for China, according to a recent company announcement. A veteran office broker, Yan will add the new role to his existing duties as head of northern China with the Toronto-based property consultancy. In his new year role, Yan will take top level responsibility for the company’s services to landlords and tenants in China, while also leading expansion of Colliers’ office leasing business.

If you know of other Asia real estate professionals changing their jobs, getting promoted or just doing something exciting, please contact us here at Mingtiandi.