The ongoing transformation of ESR leads this week’s look at personnel moves from around Asia as the company follows up on a Starwood Capital-led buyout by naming a former executive from the private equity firm to lead Singapore’s ESR REIT. Also making a change was Singapore’s Metro Holdings and a hotel chain appoints a veteran broker to help guide its regional expansion.
The manager of ESR REIT notified the Singapore stock exchange on 30 September that it had appointed David Matheson as non-executive director and chairman of the listed trust with effect from that day. Matheson takes over leadership of ESR REIT as Chew Gek Khim steps down from the board after 11 years as chairman of the trust. Formerly an executive with Starwood Capital, Matheson joined ESR earlier this year after Starwood led a buyout of the company.
Metro Holdings announced to the Hong Kong stock exchange on 30 September that it has appointed Erwin Wuysang-Oei as chief executive officer of Metro Singapore, a primary subsidiary of the company. Now 43, Wuysang-Oei steps up to the senior role after two years as chief operating officer of the company, and has now been with Metro for more than 13 years. A graduate of Oxford Brookes University, the new CEO also has previous experience with Robinson’s and Carrefour.
After a few months on the beach, Wei Leng Tang has joined Travelodge Hotels Asia as chief development officer, based in Singapore, according to a LinkedIn update. Tang joins the hotel investor and operator after having previously served as managing director and head of capital markets for Singapore at property consultancy Colliers. Tang also has previous experience with JLL and GVK Asia Real Estate Partners.
Former KPMG Hong Kong partner Andrew Weir has been appointed as a non-executive director on the board of Hang Lung Properties, according to an announcement to the Hong Kong stock exchange. Now 61, Weir joined Hang Lung’s board on 1 October, and is also an independent non-executive Director and chairman of the audit committees of both Standard Chartered Bank (Hong Kong) Limited and FWD Group Holdings Limited.
Makoto Sakuma has been named co-head of Asia Pacific research and strategy at LaSalle Investment Management, according to an announcement by the capital management division of JLL. Based in Tokyo, Sakuma was appointed co-head alongside company veteran Eduardo Gorab, and joins LaSalle after more than five years in management at NLI Research Institute. Based in Singapore, Gorab was promoted to co-head from managing director of global research and strategy with the firm.
Shotaro Okukawa has joined TOAI Asset Management in Tokyo as chief executive officer, according to a LinkedIn update. Okukawa joins the operator of one of Japan’s largest karaoke chains after more than four years as a manager with Mitsubishi Jisho Investment Advisors. The graduate of Ritsumeikan University in Kyoto also has previous experience with Mitsubishi UFJ and Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corp.
Luke Billiau, currently head of capital markets for Australia and New Zealand at JLL, has been appointed interim CEO of the company’s Australia business following the departure of former CEO Daniel Kernaghan in late August. Kernaghan is said to have been dismissed in the wake of misconduct allegations regarding the company’s Victoria industrial team, which led to multiple departures from that department. Local news reports have indicated that Kernaghan is contesting his dismissal.
Mingli Xue has joined Evolution Data Centres in Singapore as vice president of sales, according to a LinkedIn update. Xue joins the Warburg Pincus-backed data centre developer and operator after two years as director of strategic partnerships with K2 Strategic, a unit of Kuok Group, the family holding company for the Kuok family which controls Shangri-La Hotels and Kerry Properties. Xue also has previous experience with Yondr Group.
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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