Ying Lee Named MD of Knight Frank Shanghai Office

Real estate consultancy Knight Frank has continued to add to its mainland China team, naming Ying Shin Lee this month as Managing Director of its Shanghai office.

Lee joins the UK-based firm after spending nearly a decade with GE’s global real estate team, where she helped oversee the US conglomerate’s portfolio of offices, manufacturing sites and other facilities in Asia. Lee’s most recent position at GE had been as Global Process Leader with the company’s Asset Management team.

In her new role, Lee, who has previous experience as an industrial broker at Colliers International in Shanghai prior to her time at GE, will also serve as head of industrial for Knight Frank in China, according to an update to her LinkedIn profile.

Colliers Alumni Club Grows

“With her in-depth knowledge and great experience in both the user and service provider sides, I have total confidence that Ying can assist the team in expanding our company profile and business capabilities in Shanghai,” Alan Liu, Managing Director of Knight Frank China said in a statement.

Like Lee, Liu is a graduate of Colliers International’s China operation, having joined Knight Frank in 2016 after spending more than five years as Managing Director for North Asia at Colliers. Knight Frank’s Managing Director of its Shenzhen office and Head of Office Services for South China Ken Kan joined the firm in December of last year after having previously served with both Colliers and CBRE.

In her new role at Knight Frank, Lee, who graduated from the University of Sydney, will report directly to Liu. The new head of Knight Frank’s Shanghai office also has previous experience in business development with industrial engineering and construction firm Jurong International in Singapore.

“I am delighted to join Knight Frank to grow its business in Shanghai,” Lee said. “Knight Frank has a strong global network and a great team of local experts. I look forward to working with colleagues across the board to provide the most thoughtful service to our valued clients.”

Lee will be starting her new role in Knight Frank’s latest Shanghai address, with the consulting firm having relocated from its former home at the Eco City tower on West Nanjing Lu last week to the Platinum Tower next to Xintiandi.

Knight Frank’s Shanghai managing director position had been vacant since Graham Zink’s departure in 2016 as the company created the China MD role in time for Liu to join the team.