APREA Leaders’ Luncheon

A sustainability practitioner for over two decades, Esther published the first sustainability report in Singapore in 2008 and issued the first green bond by a Singapore company in 2017. Conferred the 2018 SDG Pioneer for Green Infrastructure and A Low Carbon Economy by the UN Global Compact, and named amongst 25 Trailblazing Women against Climate Change by Reuters in 2023 as well as the inaugural TIME100 Climate Leaders in Business 2023 list, Esther sits on the boards or advisory platforms of international organizations including:

• World Economic Forum Nature-Positive Cities Global Commission
• World Green Building Council Corporate Advisory Board Chairperson
• Taskforce on Nature-related Financial Disclosures
• UN PRI Real Estate Advisory Committee
• UN ESCAP Sustainable Business Network Executive Council
• Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) Supervisory Board
• Urban Land Institute (ULI) Randall Lewis Center Advisory Board for Sustainability in Real Estate and ULI Asia Pacific Net Zero Council
• Asia Pacific Real Assets Association (APREA) Board of Directors and Chair of ESG Committee
• GRESB Foundation Board

She founded Women4Green and Youth4Climate networks to empower women and youths to champion climate action and sustainable development.

With over 30 years of experience, Geraldine Ong is a distinguished real estate lawyer whose practice spans real estate, digital infrastructure and cross-border investments across Asia Pacific and beyond. As Head of Baker McKenzie's Corporate Real Estate Practice in Singapore and a member of the firm's Asia Pacific Data Centre Focus Group, she advises investors, developers, REITs, multinational corporations and technology companies on complex and strategic matters across the region. Her experience extends across Asia Pacific, Japan, Europe, the United Kingdom, South Africa and the Middle East, reflecting a practice shaped by some of the world's most dynamic markets.

As Co-Regional Client Relationship Leader and Executive Director, Sarah leads local and global teams in crafting design solutions that harmonize aesthetic appeal with business objectives for clients worldwide. In her previous roles, she served as the Managing Director of Gensler’s Tokyo office for six years and as Co-Managing Director of the firm’s Chicago office for three years. Her extensive experience encompasses a variety of industries and project types, ranging from new urban high-rise hospitals to intimate workplace designs. Sarah excels in leading teams within diverse, multicultural environments and consistently prioritizes client experience.

Sarah is actively involved in the American Chamber of Commerce in Japan, where she serves as Vice President and Co-Chair of the CEO Forum. Additionally, she is a Co-Chair for the Hospitality Product Council at the Urban Land Institute and is the Regional Director for the U.S.-Japan Council.

Edd heads the Middle East operations for Cushman & Wakefield, having joined (what was then ) DTZ in the Middle East over 20 years ago.

Having worked through the Financial Crisis of 2008/9, the oil price crash of 2014, the blockade of Qatar (2018-2022) and most recently the pandemic, Edd has seen a number of disruptions to the property cycle and finds it fascinating how the market copes with major events outside the traditional market cycle.

A longstanding APREA supporter, Edd has a home in Thailand and has a passion for being out on the water whenever possible!