Real Estate Investment Pros Gather in Shanghai This Week

A conference bringing together real estate investment professionals from across Greater China is being held in Shanghai this week to discuss trends in China’s real estate investment market, including opportunities in the senior living market, how to structure investment funds in China, and the role of the shadow banking system.

More than 253 real estate investors will be gathering for the Real Estate Investment World China event starting on Tuesday the 15th, and ending on Thursday the 17th. Among the presenters and panelists who will be leading the session are:

• Jean Zhang, Managing Director for China, Taubman Asia
• Eric Chan, General Manager for Operations, K11 Concepts Limited, China
• Charles Lam, Managing Director for Real Estate, Baring Private Equity Asia, Hong Kong
• William Zhou, Vice President, Everbright Ashmore Asset Management, China
• Ellen Ng, Executive Director, Warburg Pincus Asia LLC,
• Donald Choi, Managing Director, Nan Fung Development Limited, Hong Kong
• Derek Cheng, Assistant Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director, China Resources Capital Holdings Co. Ltd
• Philip Wong, Managing Director, Executive Director, and Chief Executive Officer, Shui On Land Limited and China Xintiandi
• Benjamin Cha, Managing Director, Global Real Estate – Asia Pacific, UBS Global Asset Management, Hong Kong

The conference starts on Tuesday afternoon with a half-day China Retail Summit event, which is presented as an addition to the main program on real estate investment. The half-day session will include a landlord panel discussion including representatives of companies including Taubman Asia, CDG Retail Management, K11 and Value Retail China.

The first full day of the event covers a range of topics including the role of policy in China’s real estae market, the role of strategy in driving growth in China, and the impact of urbanisation on the local property market. An afternoon roundtable discussion will centre on ways to capitalise on distressed real estate assets in China’s growing credit crunch.

The final day of the conference will be chaired by Michael Cole of Mingtiandi (that’s me), and starts out with sessions that include exploration of how institutional investors are realigning their risk and return expectations in the current market. Panel discussions during the day will also examine the potential for profiting from China’s outbound investment trend, and opportunities and hazards to be found in the countries second and third-tier markets.

The organisers indicate that a record of 253 executives from 14 countries are expected to attend the event, representing 164 companies. 86 percent of the property professionals are said to be from mainland China, and 82 percent qualify as senior-level. The event will be held at the Ritz Carlton Shanghai Hotel in Pudong.