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In this issue of APREA's Real Assets, Real People, we talk to a new generation of leaders to gain insights on their journey in the real assets industry.
Here's Russell Wee, Acquisitions Director of Jean Yip Developments. Established in 2002, Jean Yip Holdings is a luxury real estate developer of premium boutique properties. A wholly owned subsidiary of the multinational conglomerate Jean Yip Group, Jean Yip Holdings is an expansion into the lifestyle and real estate domain, specialising in developing and managing quality residential, commercial, and industrial properties in prime areas of Singapore.
In APREA's Real Assets, Real People, we talk to an influential leader in the real assets industry to gain insights and perspective on their experiences and stategies for success.
Here's Martin Siah, Head of Asia Pacific Real Estate Investment Banking, Head of Southeast Asia Global Corporate and Investment Banking, Singapore Country Executive, Bank of America.
In APREA's Real Assets, Real People, we talk to an influential leader in the real assets industry to gain insights and perspective on their experiences and stategies for success.
Here's Kosei Hatakeyama, Chief Executive Officer and Representative Director of MC Digital Realty.
Prior to joining MC Digital Realty from 2019 to 2022, I played a key role in corporate planning at Mitsubishi Corporation's Tokyo headquarters. Reporting directly to the company's president, I contributed to managing company-wide investment portfolios worth a $100 billion. Subsequently, I served as the Head of Strategy Planning, Urban Development Division, and General Manager of Real Estate Business Department at Mitsubishi. I took an initiative to rebalance and optimize global real estate investment portfolios valued at $4 billion, while assuming the role of a board director for both US and Japan-based subsidiaries.
Prior to that, as the President of MC Aviation Partners Americas in Irvine, CA, I took executive leadership and oversaw all company-related matters.
In the dynamic landscape of real asset investment, particularly within the datacenter industry where I have been engaged, we stand at the edge of transformative opportunities that are set to shape the future. The convergence of cutting-edge AI advances promises a surge in demand, propelling us into an era where data-driven solutions reign supreme.
While opportunities abound globally, our focus is on the Japanese market, which holds the most promising potential within the APAC. Its progressive market dynamics make it a strategic imperative to establish a firm foothold within this landscape.
Additionally, the focal point on renewable energy transition stands as a testament to our social responsibility. The integration of sustainable practices not only aligns with the global environmental responsibility but also cements resilience and longevity in our investments.
Recent opportunities we are pursuing are in line with these multifaceted elements, which urge us to forge a path toward enduring success.
We should adopt a strategic approach. This involves not only making selective investments and seizing opportunistic chances but also adhering to established investment principles and seeking attractive terms to maximize returns on investment. In highly competitive sectors like the data center industry, land banking presents notable challenges. However, by embracing an innovative approach and leveraging in-house expertise, as well as industry relationships and networks, companies can explore new opportunities to scale up and expand their current domains. By continuously differentiating themselves, companies can position themselves for success and achieve a competitive edge in the market.
One aspect that I always hold dear is the invaluable support my ex-colleagues provided during the process of liquidating a company and managing job transfers and terminations in the past days. Establishing trust and fostering mutual respect among the teams involved played a crucial role in successfully navigating this challenging task. By prioritizing open communication and maintaining transparency through the disclosure of relevant information, we were able to effectively handle the difficult situation together. One of my greatest assets is the enduring friendships I have maintained with my ex-colleagues even after the hard times.
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In APREA's Real Assets, Real People, we talk to an influential leader in the real assets industry to gain insights and perspective on their experiences and stategies for success.
Here's Christina Hau, Chief Executive Officer of Champion REIT.
Before I began my role in real estate asset management, I was trained and practiced as an architect for over a decade. I gained extensive experience in design, project management, leasing, marketing and management of world-class commercial complexes at several reputable property developers.
My passion in building design and its impact on people inspired me to pursue a career in the real estate industry. My keen interest in retail trends, combined with my strong business and marketing acumen, enables me to identify opportunities and develop effective strategies to enhance the yield of real assets investment. I am excited to continue my professional growth in this dynamic industry where I see many opportunities lying ahead.
I believe in people-centric approach and values relationship with our stakeholders. Our employees are cultivated with “re-think” and “re-invest” mindsets so that we can embrace change and build resilience. Our overarching objective at Champion REIT is to enhance the experience and stickiness of our tenants and customers, winning their hearts and keeping them engaged. We strive to foster collaborative relationships with our stakeholders, joining hands for shared success and sustainable future that prioritises ESG practices.
I support putting people first and promote the collective “WE” mindset. What I take great pride in is witnessing the growth and transformation of individuals and our work culture. “Never stop inventing” is one of my mottos and I am delighted to see many state-of-art projects being accomplished by my team. It is a fulfilling journey to not only successfully launched a new brand for a series of commercial complexes in the market, but also succeeded in tripling the profitability and became a strong market leader and trend setter in the industry.
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In APREA's Real Assets, Real People, we talk to an influential leader in the real assets industry to gain insights and perspective on their experiences and stategies for success.
Here's Patrick Boocock, Chief Executive Officer of Private Equity Alternative Assets, Real Assets, CapitaLand Investment.
As CEO of Private Equity Alternative Assets at CapitaLand Investment (CLI), I lead CLI’s growth in the alternative assets sector including digital infrastructure, private credit, renewable energy, transition and sustainability investments, self-storage, automated logistics and other investment strategies to expand CLI’s private funds business.
Prior to joining CLI in 2021, I was Managing Partner and Head of Asia at Brookfield Asset Management (BAM), overseeing investment and asset management activities across real estate, infrastructure, renewables and private equity. Over my 12-year career with BAM, I also served as Chief Financial Officer of Brookfield’s global construction company and Managing Director of an Australia natural gas transmission and distribution portfolio. I have also previously held senior positions in the infrastructure financing and development sector in Canada.
I initially started in the real assets industry by developing and financing infrastructure projects across Canada and was always impressed with the scale, complexity and importantly social benefits that infrastructure can bring to communities. With this experience I was then able to expand my experience and sector diversity in real assets during my 12-year career at Brookfield.
During my 13 years living and working in Asia Pacific, I have always admired CLI’s accomplishments. CLI is a well-respected and experienced owner and manager of real assets globally and is well-positioned to expand its investment management capabilities into adjacent alternative assets such as digital infrastructure, private credit and beyond. These platforms generate predictable cash flows, and support an important component of underlying economic activity aligning with CLI’s purpose to make a positive impact where we operate in.
I was excited to join CLI at a time when institutional investors continue to allocate significant amounts of capital to alternative assets. I wanted to leverage my experience to support CLI in achieving its vision of becoming a globally competitive investment manager of alternative assets. With CLI’s strong track record in Asia, its dedicated and supportive teams and commitment to responsible capital stewardship, I am confident that we can expand CLI’s product offerings and establish CLI as a partner of choice for institutional investors.
We are seeing opportunities across the private credit, data centres and renewable energy sectors. Firstly, there is potential for non-bank lenders to gain market share in private credit in markets such as Australia, China and India, to name a few. With commercial banks reducing their exposure to commercial real estate credit, the growing need to finance new developments, and the strong downside that private credit offers, there is a significant opportunity for investors to participate in this sector.
Secondly, we are seeing strong investor interest in data centres as the surge in demand for cloud computing, AI, 5G technology, and ecommerce is driving growth in this sector. In February 2023, we established a China data centre development fund, CapitaLand China Data Centre Partners (CDCP). CDCP has committed to investing in two hyperscale data centre development projects in Greater Beijing, bringing CapitaLand’s data centre portfolio to 26 across Asia and Europe. We continue to build additional capabilities across APAC including India and hope to raise additional capital to develop more data centres in the region.
Thirdly, we are evaluating opportunities to invest in renewable energy projects, which not only aligns with our commitment to achieve Net Zero by 2050, but also supports global efforts to decarbonise and combat climate change.
People are the most important success factor. Having an agile, resilient and committed team is essential in today’s ever-changing business landscape. I am energised by the dedication and camaraderie of the CLI team. We have an experienced and diverse group of investment and asset management specialists globally, especially in Asia Pacific. Having boots on the ground allows us to gain extensive local insights, identify off-market opportunities and deepen our collaboration with capital partners to secure deals.
I have been fortunate to serve in some exciting roles, live in some amazing cities and to work with incredibly dedicated teams. To me, success is a byproduct of surrounding myself with smart talent and having the privilege of working with such diverse teams around the world. Being able to roll up my sleeves in challenging and complex situations has always kept me motivated. Life is a journey with opportunities and setbacks, and what gets me up and keeps me going is to stay focused on the things that I enjoy.
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