Move completes rebranding that celebrates 16 years of long-term industry advocacy with re-found purpose in “Driving the Future of Real Assets”
Name change formalizes APREA’s strategic expansion into the region’s infrastructure sector
Singapore – 29 June 2021. APREA, Asia Pacific’s leading pan-Asian advocacy body for the real assets industry, today completed an extensive rebranding effort which include a change in the association’s name to reflect an enlarged strategic vision that encompasses infrastructure.
Asia’s economic transformation over the past 60 years has been unprecedented with the 21st century being described as the “Asian Century”. By 2030, seven of the world’s 10 largest megacities will be in the Asia Pacific; the region’s urban population will expand by close to three billion. As its cities continue to grow, the fundamental demand for real estate and infrastructure will increase in tandem. These megatrends are expected to drive an anticipated surge in infrastructure investments in the region
“The rebrand recognizes the implications of the region’s economic transformation and is part of our growth strategy to affirm our commitment to promote real estate investments in the region and our expanded focus to encompass the infrastructure sector. These changes set our vision for the next phase of our journey as we enable the real assets industry to innovate, transform and evolve, helping us achieve bigger ambitions in the Asian Century,” said Miss Sigrid Zialcita, CEO of APREA.
The move marks a milestone for APREA as it celebrates its 16th anniversary with its mission redefined: To promote growth in the real assets sector by being the voice of members in all policy matters, providing access to industry-advancing research and insights and connecting members to business opportunities.
“Our journey started in 2005 with a vision to create an organization where real estate leaders across Asia Pacific convene to network and discuss relevant industry matters. Since then, APREA has experienced significant membership growth, expanding into new markets and sectors, as well as forging partnerships globally. As our industry continues to evolve, so too have we. We believe that it is timely redefine the APREA brand,” said Miss Zialcita.
Its acronym – APREA – remains unchanged but will now stand for Asia Pacific Real Assets Association. Further to this, the association also unveiled a new brand identity, with refreshed and upgraded visuals, marking a new phase in the association’s era-defining journey. It continues to reaffirm the organization’s steadfast commitment to promote transparency, sustainability and diversity into its practices, with access to an international network a key cornerstone of the association’s identity.
According to Miss Zialcita, the rebrand will also see the association broaden its global platform which already includes Australia, China, Hong Kong SAR, India, Japan, and Singapore, as well as a newly- formed chapter called Other Markets that will serve to incubate new chapters in the future.
APREA’s rebranding also coincided with the fruition of China’s highly anticipated REIT pilot program, with the successful listing of nine infrastructure-linked vehicles recently. The offerings in the region’s largest economy adds a compelling dimension to the real assets sector in the region. Given the sheer size of China’s infrastructure market, its pilot programme for REITs is a prelude to a market that could eventually rival that of the US. According to S&P, the securitization of just 1% of such assets implies an over US$2 billion market. India’s infrastructure investment trust market is also expected to expand to over US$100 billion in the next five years, according to CRISIL Ratings.
“The region’s largest economies are pivoting to infrastructure investments in a big way. We see this as an acceleration of the securitization trend in infrastructure and the pent-up demand for industry players eager to tap into its potential. Aside from the oft-mentioned fast-tracking of digital trends and e-commerce, the pandemic has also been game changing in hastening the securitization movement in the region,” Miss Zialcita noted.
To eradicate poverty and respond to climate change, the Asian Development Bank estimates that the region will need to invest US$26 trillion from 2016 to 2030 in infrastructure development to maintain its growth momentum, – this works out to US$1.7 trillion a year to the end of the decade. As countries look to bounce back rapidly from the pandemic-induced recession, governments are placing infrastructure-led investments high on the stimulus agenda. Plans to integrate the region’s economies through infrastructure diplomacy programs will also fuel the development boom.
“Infrastructure investments form a crucial part of this equation to fast track the region’s recovery from the pandemic and secure its economic future. There are growing expectations that infrastructure financing volumes in the region will surge, enabling the sustainable financing of these massive projects to gain traction and fuelling the rapid rise of infrastructure as an asset class,” observed Miss Zialcita.
Inherently less susceptible to economic cycles, infrastructure investments also deliver diversification benefits in addition to a predictable long-term stream of income. In the hunt for yield in a low interest rate environment, investors are turning bullish over the long-term fundamentals of the sector.
“With the requirements needed by the rapidly developing economies in a region that could eventually host more than half of the world’s megacities, investments into the very assets so critical in driving its growth is an epic boom that will be played out over the coming decades. The region remains primed to take advantage of this revolution in real assets. APREA’s goal is to pave the way for the expansion of investment opportunities in the region and catalyse the rise of Asia Pacific’s infrastructure as an asset class,” Miss Zialcita added.
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About APREA
Founded in 2005, APREA takes pride in its recognition as a trendsetter in both the developed and developing Asia Pacific markets. As a member of the global Real Estate Equity Securitization Alliance (REESA), APREA brings first-hand international knowledge to its well- established Asia Pacific chapters, where information is analysed and localised. Highly- specialised in the securitised real asset sector, APREA members and intelligence cover all essential segments of REITs, Asset Managers, Property Managers, Banks/Trustees, Legal, Accounting & Tax Specialists, Investors, Developers, Mutual Funds and Consultants. Learn more at www.aprea.asia.
APREA offers a distinctive global outreach and vision for the Asia Pacific real assets sector, with an aim to create value for our members through the following key focuses:
Anchoring Success
Professional Development
Reach out to industry leaders
Education & Research
Advocacy
Contact:
Lee Sing Ying
Senior Marketing & Research Associate
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