Succession planning leads this week’s set of personnel moves from Asia’s real estate industry, with a Singapore-based hotel operating moving a new generation leader into a deputy chief executive role. Also making the list is a former Hong Kong-based private equity executive and a board change at a top mainland developer.
Banyan Tree Holdings continues to prepare a new generation for leadership with the hotel operator announcing to the Singapore stock exchange on 13 August that it has promoted Ho Ren Yung to deputy chief executive officer. Noting that the nominating committee had reviewed the skill set, performance and contribution of the daughter of founders Ho Kwon Ping and Claire Chiang, the company appointed the younger Ho to her new role from that same day.
Skip Schwartz announced on LinkedIn this past week that he has shifted to the role of senior advisor with fund manager Heitman. After nearly 30 years with the US-based real estate investment manager, Schwartz will retain his advisor role in the coming months after serving most recently as a managing director with the company’s private equity real estate division in Chicago. The graduate of Duke and Stanford universities was based in Hong Kong with Heitman from 2013 through 2021.
China Resources Land informed the Hong Kong stock exchange on 12 August that Xie Ji has resigned from his role as an executive director on the company’s board. Now 52, Xie has served on the state-owned developer’s top decision-making body since 2017 and is also a senior vice president of the company. Xie is leaving because of his work arrangements, the company said, with Guo Shiqing taking over his role as authorised representative.
CBRE said on 14 August that it has promoted Henry Chin to chief operating officer of global research, with the Hong Kong-based executive relocating to Dallas for his new role. Chin has been global head of investor thought leadership and head of research for Asia Pacific Pacific for the property consultancy since 2020. In the same announcement, CBRE said it has promoted long-time company executive Ada Choi to head of Asia Pacific research.
Hong Kong-listed Dexin China Holdings informed the local bourse on 15 August that Fei Zhongmin has resigned from his executive director role on the company’s board, due to other business engagements, with the change having taken place on 31 July. In the same announcement, Dexin said that three of the company’s independent, non-executive directors and a non-executive director had stepped down, putting it into non-compliance with exchange regulations.
JD Logistics declared to the Hong Kong stock exchange on 15 August that 
Jennifer Ngar-Wing Yu has resigned from her role as an independent, non-executive director on the company’s board with effect from that same day. Yu, who is married to New World Development chief executive Adrian Cheng, had served on the board of the division of mainland e-commerce giant JD.com since September 2022.
Frasers Hospitality Asset Management Pte Ltd announced to the Singapore stock exchange on 15 August that Liu Qingbin has resigned from his position as head of finance with the company. The manager of SGX-listed Frasers Hospitality Trust said that Liu’s departure takes effect from 25 September, with the company currently searching for a successor. Liu had held his role from the beginning of February 2023.
Anita Davis has joined private equity firm EQT in Hong Kong as managing director of corporate communications, according to a LinkedIn update. Davis takes on her new role after previously serving as director and head of Asia Pacific corporate communications with US private equity firm KKR in Hong Kong, and earlier worked as a journalist with Euromoney Institutional Investor.
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.
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