Link REIT Announces Allen as New Chairman as Sallnow-Smith Retires

Link Asset Management Limited which manages Asia’s largest real estate investment trust, Link REIT, announced today that its chairman, Nicholas Sallnow-Smith would be stepping down on 31 March of this year after completing his maximum nine year term of service.

Sallnow-Smith will be replaced at the helm of the REIT management firm by Nicholas Charles Allen, a former partner in PricewaterhouseCoopers who retired from the financial consulting firm in 2007. Allen will join Link REIT on the first of February as an independent non-executive director, and will take over as chairman on April 1st.

“It has been a personal privilege for me to work with Link’s team over the last nine years and see the company develop into a globally competitive business leader in the REIT industry. With Mr Allen’s breadth of board experience, I am confident that he will lead this still young organization into its next decade of growth,” Sallnow-Smith said in a statement.

Allen, who was selected by a board chair search committee set up by Link REIT, has an extensive background in audit work and accounting, as well as in regulatory matters. During his 30 years in Hong Kong, the graduate of the University of Manchester has served on the Securities and Futures Appeal Panel, the Takeovers and Mergers Panel, the Takeovers Appeal Committee and the Share Registrars’ Disciplinary Committee of the Securities and Futures Commission.

In addition to his new appointment with Link REIT, Allen is currently an independent non-executive director of CLP Holdings Limited, Hysan Development Company Limited and Lenovo Group Limited. He is also an independent non-executive director of VinaLand Limited and Texon International Group Limited. Mr Allen is the honorary advisor to the Financial Reporting Council of Hong Kong.