Top Investors to Tackle Commercial, Hospitality Strategies at Singapore Forum Next Week

Some of Asia Pacific’s top investors and advisors are set to debate strategies for investments in commercial assets, hospitality and other leading sectors at the Mingtiandi Singapore Forum, with just one week to go before the event.

Senior executives from Gaw Capital Partners, Link Real Estate Partners, Yardi and Warburg Pincus-backed life sciences venture Vita Partners will discuss opportunities for achieving returns from investments in office, retail, life science and R&D assets, as economies in the region adapt to rapid development and external shocks.

With the ongoing rise in travel across Asia Pacific, hospitality is also a top theme at the conference, with leaders from Hilton, SC Capital Partners, AB Capital Investment and CBRE set to discuss strategies for investing in hotels and lodging across the region in a dedicated panel session.

The two panels are among 11 distinct sessions in the 12 May event at the Conrad Singapore Marina Bay, with more than 300 industry leaders expected to attend the full day event, which is sponsored by Yardi. Tickets to the forum are still available at the link above, and the full event will be streamed live on Mingtiandi’s MTD TV platform.

Commercial Back in Style

With yields rising on commercial asset deals across many Asia Pacific markets, strategies for assembling core portfolios are again a top focus for investors with the commercial investment panel bringing together institutional capital and advisory expertise spanning offices, retail, life sciences and research facilities.

Imelda Tham, managing director for investments at Gaw Capital Partners, leads the discussion with more than 20 years of real estate investment experience across Asia and the United States. Bart Price, chief executive of Vita Partners, represents the life sciences sector, having been appointed to lead the Warburg Pincus portfolio company in January 2025.

Milan Khatri, head of research and strategy at Link Real Estate Partners, brings over 20 years of macroeconomic and real estate markets experience to Link’s new private funds business with the company having renewed its interest in the retail sector. Bernie Devine, senior regional director for Asia Pacific at Yardi, provides the technology perspective with over 30 years of experience in real estate digital transformation.

Neil Brookes, head of Asia Pacific capital markets at Savills, will moderate as the panelists explore how institutional investors are adapting their commercial real estate strategies in the face of evolving demand.

Hospitality Focus

In the lead panel session of the forum, the hospitality panel assembles operators, investors and advisors for a look at how investors are seizing opportunities for growth in Asia Pacific.

Alan Watts, president for Asia Pacific at Hilton, brings the operator’s perspective, overseeing more than 2,100 hotels across 14 brands in the region. Christopher Hur, managing director for investments at SC Capital Partners, represents institutional capital, having recently joined the Singapore-based firm after leading Southeast Asian hospitality platform Lodgis Hospitality Holdings.

Bryan Lee, founder and chief financial officer of AB Capital Investment, provides insight into specialised hospitality fund management, having built a portfolio of 11 hotels across Japan since launching during the pandemic. Steve Carroll, head of hotels and hospitality capital markets for Asia Pacific at CBRE, brings the advisory perspective with more than 20 years of industry experience including his previous role as a senior vice president at IHG.

Xander Huang, executive vice president for business development in Asia Pacific at Citco Fund Services, will moderate as the panelists discuss how investors are evaluating operational risk and travel trends across the region.

Watch Live on MTD TV

For industry professionals unable to attend the forum, the full event will be streamed live on Mingtiandi’s MTD TV video platform, where it is free to view. Links for accessing the live stream will be available on the Mingtiandi.com homepage on the day of the event.

With more than 260 confirmed attendees already registered, the event is expected to be one of the industry’s largest gatherings in Asia Pacific this year. 

Following the Singapore Forum, the Mingtiandi team will travel to Sydney for our first ever Australia Forum on 15 September, and 10 November has been set as the date for the third annual Mingtiandi Tokyo Forum.