Asia Real Estate People in the News 2021-03-29

Top level moves in Singapore lead our list of human resources updates from around the region this week, as the main regulator of land use in Singapore plucks a new leader from Frasers Hospitality Trust. Also checking in from the Lion City is Keppel Corporation, which has named a new boss for a mainland China joint venture, and we have fresh moves from Sydney and Hangzhou too.

Colin Low, formerly chief executive of the manager of Frasers Hospitality Trust has been selected as the new head of the Singapore Land Authority, a government agency which oversees management of state land and property, according to an official announcement last week. Low had resigned from Frasers Hospitality Trust in January to pursue other opportunities, and will replace Tan Boon Khai on 1 September, when the latter assumes his new role as chief executive of Jurong Town Corporation (JTC).

Teo Eng Cheong, who stepped down from his role as head of Surbana Jurong’s regional division last year amid a furor triggered by a maid abuse case involving the chairman of the urban design consultancy, has found a new berth as chief executive of Sino-Singapore Tianjin Eco-City, according to an announcement by Keppel Corporation, which backs the mainland China project. Teo will start his role on 1 June, after Singapore’s Minister of Manpower, Josephine Teo, who is married to the newly minted Keppel exec, had presided over a lenient review of a labour complaint against the family of Surbana Jurong boss Liew Mun Leong. The Singapore blueblood later resigned as public outrage rose over his family’s apparent attempt to cook up a legal case against their domestic helper.

KKR has hired former Logos Property executive Tom Lee as head of Australia and New Zealand real estate, the private equity firm said in an announcement. The one-time BlackRock executive had been with Logos since 2017, and in his new role will look to expand KKR’s real estate strategies in the region, at the same time that he steers its operation in Australia and New Zealand, where the company has invested in around 10 assets since 2014.

Ng Shin Ein is due to retire as an independent non-executive director of Yanlord Land as of 29 April, according to an announcement by the Singapore-listed developer. Now 46, Ng has been on Yanlord’s board for nine years, and in her day job is managing director of investment firm Gryphus Capital. A former executive of the Singapore stock exchange, Ng is also a director of Singapore-listed First Resources and NTUC Fairprice Co-operative as well as a number of privately held entities.

Marc Giuffrida has left CBRE after nearly eight years to lead the real estate capital team at Fortius, in Sydney, Australia. The veteran broker took on his new role with the investment manager this month after previously serving as head of international capital for CBRE in the region, while splitting his time between Sydney and Singapore. Before joining the green team in 2013, Giuffrida also served with Knight Frank and Savills.

Tim Risbridger has joined infrastructure consulting firm TY Lin International as a senior vice president based in Singapore, according to a company statement. The division of Lebanon’s DAR Group says Risbridger will be charged with accelerating its growth in the aviation, science and technology segments. The University of Bath graduate joins the TY Lin after 18 years with Arcadis, where he had served as head of Singapore since 2016.

Greentown Holdings announced earlier this month that Zhou Lianying had been removed as an executive director of the Hong Kong-listed developer, following a written notice signed by at least three-fourths of the board directors. The announcement noted that Zhou, who had been on the board of the Hangzhou-based developer for around one year, had previously made statements which the company considered to be unfounded. Zhou was joined on his way out the door on 21 March by fellow executive director Liu Wensheng.

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.