A family reunion at one of Hong Kong’s largest developers leads this week’s roundup of personnel moves in Asia’s real estate community and we also find room for new leaders at a set of Singapore-listed REITs, plus updates from Link REIT, Morgan Stanley, Colliers and Knight Frank.
HKR International announced to the Hong Kong exchange on 4 July that Benjamin Cha Yiu Chung, age 48, has been appointed as a non-executive director of the company, effective that same day. Cha, who in his day job is chief executive of Grosvenor Asia Pacific, is joining a board chaired by his father, Victor Cha, with his aunt, Madeline Wong Cha and uncle Johnson Cha also among the directors. HKR International is best known as the developer of Discovery Bay and also co-developed Shanghai’s HKRI Taikoo Hui project with Swire Properties.
Mapletree Commercial Trust’s manager declared to the bourse on 5 July that it has appointed Samuel N Tsien, age 67, as an independent, non-executive director on its board effective from that same day. Tsien is the former group chief executive officer of OCBC, having retired from the Singapore banking giant in 2021. He also serves as a director on the boards of Jardine Cycle and Carriage and Singapore Exchange Limited.
The manager of Singapore-listed IREIT Global said on 6 July that its chief financial officer, Choo Boon Poh has resigned effective 22 August. Choo will be staying with the REIT jointly sponsored by City Developments Ltd and Tikehau Capital through 9 September, with the trust’s manager saying that it has already identified a replacement finance chief to take over from 22 August. An official announcement of the new hire is said to be on the way.
The manager of Sabana Industrial REIT announced on 6 July that Elaine Lee Kia Jong has been appointed to its board as an independent, non-executive director. Now 66, Lee took on her new role after having retired from a career in public relations, including having served as chairman of Citigate Dewe Rogerson from February through December 2014. More recently, Lee served as an independent, non-executive director with telecom operator M1 and continues to serve on the board of manufacturer Combine Will International Holdings.
Calvin Ng has been promoted to assistant general manager with the asset management division of Hong Kong’s Link REIT, according to a LinkedIn update. Ng is taking a step up after more than two years as a senior manager with the same team at Asia’s largest real estate investment trust, and in his new role manages a mix of retail and other commercial assets, including car parks and industrial properties.
Andy Wilianto has joined Morgan Stanley in Hong Kong as a vice president and Asia project management lead with the investment banking giant. Wilianto made the shift to Morgan Stanley after more than six years with Manulife in the city, where he served most recently as director of Asia real estate. The University of Michigan graduate also has experience with Citi Group and CBRE in Shanghai.
Colliers said on 6 July that it has promoted Jason Fung to senior director with its office services team in Hong Kong. Fung received his new ranking just one year after joining the property consultancy from competitor Savills, where he had spent more than nine years and had served most recently as a senior associate director. The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology graduate also has previous experience with Cushman & Wakefield.
Jonathan Wright has signed up with Knight Frank as a senior director, based in Hong Kong, according to a LinkedIn post. Wright joined the UK property consultancy this month after more than seven years with rival Colliers, where he had served most recently as a director leading the flexible workspace consulting division for Asia. In his new role, Wright continues to focus on flexible space.
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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