SF REIT, Gaw, Asia Green, MSCI to Size Up Mainland China at Hong Kong Forum

A panel of distinguished experts will explore investment opportunities in mainland China as part of the afternoon session at next Tuesday’s Mingtiandi Hong Kong Forum.

The panel brings together Hubert Chak, executive director and CEO of SF REIT; Humbert Pang, managing principal and head of China at Gaw Capital Partners; Andrew Goodridge, managing partner at Asia Green Real Estate; and Benjamin Chow, head of real estate research for Asia at MSCI, for a discussion moderated by Natasha Ho, president of the China Real Estate Chamber of Commerce (HKI).

China’s commercial real estate market remains active amid the prolonged property crisis, topping the regional table with $37.5 billion in investment volume last year, according to MSCI. That said, more than one-fifth of the total came from distressed property sales as developers scrambled to raise cash.

To offer insights into how to navigate the tricky market, the panellists will speak at 3.50pm Hong Kong time on 14 May as part of the all-day forum sponsored by Yardi, with more than 250 industry professionals expected to attend the event at the Ritz-Carlton at the ICC.

Market in Flux

A former director of finance at Link REIT, Chak now oversees SF REIT’s mandate to invest in income-generating real estate globally, with an initial focus on logistics properties. The HKEX-listed trust’s portfolio currently comprises three industrial parks in mainland China and a logistics facility in Hong Kong.

Pang joined Hong Kong-based Gaw Capital in 2006 and is a member of the investment committee at the privately held firm. In February, Gaw announced its exit from three mainland logistics assets for a reported RMB 2 billion ($280 million), with sources pointing to insurance giant Ping An as the buyer.

Goodridge is responsible for investments and operations in China, Singapore and emerging markets at Asia Green Real Estate, a private equity firm focused on sustainable investments in the region. Previously he led strategic partnerships and project-specific investments at Hong Kong-listed developer Shui On Land.

As regional research head for data provider MSCI, Chow leads the Manhattan-based firm’s analysis of Asian commercial real estate markets, with a focus on capital flows and pricing metrics. His earlier career included roles at the Urban Redevelopment Authority of Singapore and Real Capital Analytics, which MSCI acquired in 2021.

One Week Away

Mingtiandi’s Hong Kong Focus Forum brings our popular event series back to Hong Kong after an on-stage event in Singapore last November drew more than 200 attendees, including representatives of Ivanhoe Cambridge, BlackRock and Warburg Pincus.

Tickets for the Hong Kong event are still available at the link above, and you can contact our events team regarding group rates.

The full event will be streamed on MTD TV, with the first 90 minutes made available live.