Leading today’s set of personnel changes in Asia’s real estate industry is a Singaporean investment giant that has just seen some turnover at the top of its US unit. Also in the news, the manager of Hong Kong’s Link REIT has named a new independent director to its board, and the developer of Hong Kong’s Discovery Bay has picked up some talent from its rivals at Hang Lung.
Singapore’s Mapletree Investments may be on the hunt for a new chief for its North American unit, as Sara Queen takes on a new role today as head of real estate equity for MetLife Investment Management in New York. Queen occupies her new chair after serving as head of asset management and operations for the United States at Mapletree since 2018. During Queen’s tenure with the unit of Temasek Holdings, Mapletree became a major buyer of US data centres, as well as reportedly picking up an office building in Oakland, Calfornia in February of this year.
Link Asset Management, the manager of Asia’s largest real estate investment trust, announced earlier this month that it has appointed former MTR Corporation chief executive Lincoln Leong Kwok Kuen as an independent, non-executive director on its board. Leong, who retired from the MTR in 2019 as the public transit operator became mired in Hong Kong’s social unrest crisis, took up his role on Link REIT’s board on 1 March and will also serve as a member of the board’s audit and risk management committee.
Clement Tan has headed back to Hong Kong where he took up a new role last month as a general manager with the leasing and property management department at Hong Kong Resorts International (HKRI), according to an update to his LinkedIn profile. Tan picked up his new name cards after more than seven years with Hang Lung Properties in Kunming, where he had served most recently as general manager of the developer’s Spring City 66 project in the capital of Yunnan province.
Sanjay Jeswani has joined Savills in India as an associate director with the firm’s capital markets team. Based in Mumbai, Jeswani has signed up with the property consultancy after previously working with Mapletree Investments in Mumbai, where he served just over one year handling commercial real estate investments and acquisitions across India. The University of Mumbai graduate also has experience with JLL.
Sheldon Parent has tied up with 1508 London as a director with the design firm’s nascent Asia Pacific team. Parent joined the high-end hotel and residential practice in Hong Kong last month after a stint consulting with Colliers International’s hotels and leisure division. Now at work preparing to open 1508’s studio in Hong Kong, Parent also has experience with Artyzen Hospitality Group, Wilson Associates and Chapman Taylor.
Florence Tam has been promoted to senior marketing officer with Swire Properties in Hong Kong, where she takes her step up after less than two years as a marketing officer with the developer of Taikoo Place. Before joining Swire Properties in October 2019, Tam had spent more than a year with rival Wheelock Properties a project marketing officer, and also has experience with China Overseas Land & Investment.
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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