Top-level moves in Hong Kong lead this week’s collection of personnel changes in Asia’s real estate world, with a logistics REIT changing over non-executive directors, a fund manager making a promotion on its property team and a listed developer adding a new member to its board.
Hong Kong-listed SF REIT made a board-level switch just before the new year, with Gan Ling joining the trust manager’s top decision-making body as a non-executive director as of 31 December. Now 48, Gan serves as deputy general manager and board secretary of SF Holdings, the sponsor of SF REIT and has been with the firm since 2015. She is taking over the director role from Ng Wai Ting, who resigned to devote more time to her personal affairs, according to an announcement to the Hong Kong stock exchange.
Karen Yuen has been promoted to principal with the real estate division of KKR in Hong Kong, after just over a year and a half with the fund manager, according to a LinkedIn update. Yuen had first joined KKR as an associate with the real estate team in June of 2021 after more than two years as a vice president with the investment banking division of Deutsche Bank in Hong Kong. The University of Hong Kong graduate also has previous experience with BNP Paribas.
Datang Group Holdings announced to the Hong Kong exchange on 3 January that Lok Chiu Chan, 47, has been appointed to an independent, non-executive director position on its board with effect from that same day. Currently serving as managing director of ChuangLian Holdings’ RuiLian Financial Group unit, Lok is joining the board as Tam Chi Choi steps down after just over two years as an independent, non-executive director.
Wendy Chen has been promoted to vice president with Malaysia’s Khazanah Nasional Berhad, according to a LinkedIn update. Chen received her upgrade with the Kuala Lumpur-based institution this month after just less than two years with KNB, which she had joined as an assistant vice president with the private funds group of its investment division in April 2021. The London School of Economics graduate also has previous experience with Malaysia’s Employees Provident Fund (EPF).
Morrison Foerster announced this past week that Steven Tran has joined the firm as a partner in its private equity and mergers & acquisitions groups in Singapore. Tran’s hiring was announced on 3 January, with the firm citing his expertise advising clients on deals in real estate, consumer goods, technology and other sectors. Prior to joining Morrison Foerster, Tran had been a partner with Mayer Brown in Hong Kong.
JLL has promoted Chris KW Cheung to chief growth officer for its property and asset management division for China, effective from this month, according to a LinkedIn update. Based in Shanghai, Cheung is taking on his new role after more than four years as an executive director with JLL in Shanghai, where he had headed up the property and asset management team for East and Central China. Cheung has now been with the property consultancy for over seven years.
Knight Frank Malaysia said on 4 January that it has promoted Keith Ooi to group managing director starting from this month. The company pointed to the promotion as part of its succession plan, with Ooi, who has been with Knight Frank since 2007, having previously headed up the company’s Cambodia business before returning to Malaysia to lead the company’s valuation and advisory business. In 2021 he was named deputy group managing director of the Malaysia operation.
Sophie Watson-Swingewood has relocated to Jakarta to take on the role of assistant vice president director for Indonesia with Swire Properties. Watson-Swingewood made the move south of the equator after more than seven years with Swire’s real estate division, where she had served as senior manager with the development and valuations team in Hong Kong for just over a year. The University of Edinburgh graduate also has experience with Swire Resources.
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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