APREA Opening New Doors for Investments in APAC: Investing in Australia

Sigrid is the Chief Executive Officer of Asia Pacific Real Assets Association (APREA). Based in Singapore, she is responsible for overseeing the strategic direction, initiatives and operations of the association across Asia Pacific. Under her leadership, APREA repositioned to an industry trade group focusing on real estate and infrastructure.

Sigrid joined APREA’s executive team in January 2019.

Prior to APREA, she served as Managing Director of Asia Pacific Research and Advisory Services of Cushman & Wakefield (C&W) from 2010 through 2018, where she was responsible for research, thought leadership, strategy formulation and client management.  Before relocating to Singapore, she was based in Washington, D.C. and led C&W’s U.S. research group in the Mid-Atlantic region, overseeing all aspects of market research activities in the Washington, DC; Virginia; Suburban Maryland, Baltimore; and Philadelphia areas. Prior to joining C&W, Sigrid served as a Senior Economist for the National Association of Realtors (NAR). In that position, she developed NAR’s office, warehouse, retail, multi-family housing, and international research programs.

A recognized expert in global economic, public policy and real estate issues, Sigrid is a frequent speaker at industry events.  Her commentary on commercial and residential real estate markets is also regularly featured in a wide array of global publications, including the Wall Street Journal, Financial Times, Bloomberg, New York Times and Reuters. Additionally, she has made several television appearances on financial networks and radio such as CNBC, Bloomberg, CNN, National Public Radio and Channel News Asia.

Sigrid holds a Master of Business Administration from Cornell University’s Johnson Graduate School of Management and a Master’s degree in Economics from Pennsylvania State University. She is a member of several civic groups including the Rotary Club of Raffles City in Singapore, where she has served in various leadership positions, and serves in the Executive Committee of the Crohn’s & Colitis Society of Singapore.

Trevor Cooke is one of South Australia’s most highly regarded property and finance leaders.

As CEO of Commercial & General, Trevor has an outstanding track record in funds management and developing profitable real estate, infrastructure and securities businesses in the Asia Pacific region.

His previous roles include former Managing Director - Global Head of Real Estate Asia Pacific for UBS and Managing Director of AMP Capital Brookfield, a globally listed joint venture with $8 billion assets under management. In addition to his directorship of two Japanese real estate investment trusts with assets under management in excess of $10 billion and Executive Director (International Capital and Markets Division) of the Property Council of Australia.

Trevor has a Bachelor of Laws Hons (LLB) from the University of Adelaide and currently sits on the Board of Junction Australia and the South Australia Division Council of the Property Council of Australia.

From 2015 to 2023, he served as the President & CEO of Sumisho Realty Management, a subsidiary of Sumitomo Corporation, and expanded its AUM to over ¥700 billion. He diversified the firm's investments in structures such as SOSiLA Logistic REIT(publicly-traded) and SC Realty Private REIT(privately-placed) alongside a broad spectrum of separate accounts.

Earlier, at Sumitomo Corporation, he held pivotal roles and managed a comprehensive real estate portfolio in both Japan and the US, encompassing residential, commercial, and logistics sectors.

From 2024 to April 2025, he served as Director and Head of Strategic Business Division at ES-CON Japan. He is currently with Fortress Investment Group, where he is engaged in J-REIT related operations.

He graduated from Kyoto University in 1983 with a bachelor’s degree in architecture. Also, he is a licensed architect in Japan, an esteemed ARES Certified Master, APREA Board Member/Japan Chapter Chairperson and RICS Japan, MEG Co-chairperson (FRICS).

Since joining Savills in 2008, Jacey’s role has focused on cross border investment transactions. She is currently based in the Sydney office and working with APAC and global investors.

Prior to joining the Sydney office, Jacey was based in Seoul and continues to work closely with Korean capital. Some of Jacey’s key leading projects during her time at Savills include the sales of an asset located in Beijing, China on behalf of Samsung Life Insurance, AIA Life acquisition of HQ office in Seoul CBD (first market entry) and Pontegadea first acquisition in Asia Pacific.

She also had a key role in a strategic consulting project for a Korean retailer launching in Hong Kong and Macao. Other projects include the disposal of Twin Tree Tower (Pramerica), Bundang Square (Morgan Stanley), Noon Square (Pacific Star), M Plaza (Invesco) as well as consulting on the Tesco asset portfolio in Korea (Affinity). 
Before Savills, Jacey spent over 3 years with Property Group & Site Research at Samsung Tesco.

With over 25 years in the real estate industry, Michael specialises in providing high value market intelligence for the industrial sector.

As National Head of Industrial & Logistics at Savills, Michael is responsible for industrial real estate operations and strategies across the country. As Managing Director of NSW, Michael overseas the operations of the New South Wales business.

He has successfully completed many major investment transactions, such as the sale of GIC's Australian logistics portfolio to Ascendas for AUD$1.037 billion, Equity Commonwealth Portfolio to Propertylink for AUD$303 million and Woolworths' new state-of-the-art automated distribution centre at Dandenong, Victoria for AUD$218 million.

During the course of his work he has completed more high value deals (over AUD$50 million) than any other agent in Australia. He has also received awards from Goodman and Dexus for achieving outstanding results when representing them on transactions.

His analysis reflects a deep understanding of the major players in the industrial sector, including listed and wholesale property trusts, sovereign wealth funds and syndicates.

George Rolfe is the Executive Director, Property at Plenary Group based in Sydney and is responsible for expanding Plenary’s property activities across Australia. Plenary is an independent long-term investor, developer and manager of public infrastructure with a portfolio of 71 assets under management worth more than $44 billion across Australia, Canada and the US.

He is a dedicated property professional with over 23 years of national and international experience focused on large-scale urban renewal and transit oriented developments. George held previous development and investment roles with John Holland, Lendlease and Multiplex in Australia and the United Kingdom.

George is also a member of the APREA Regional Advocacy Committee and holds a Master of Business Administration from the University of Western Australia, has completed a Corporate Finance Programme at London Business School and a Bachelor of Construction Management from the University of Technology Sydney.

Wissam is a corporate M&A partner with a specialist focus on the real estate industry, acting for both domestic and international clients. In particular, the establishment of incorporated and unincorporated joint ventures, consortia, capital partnerships and wholesale funds with a real asset focused investment mandate as well as on the acquisition, disposal and restructuring of real assets.

Simon was a partner with Herbert Smith Freehills and KPMG. His time with KPMG included 5 years in Singapore ending in December 2018. Most of his career involved dealing with real estate transactions. He has worked with listed entities, fund managers, private equity investors, family offices and developers. In the Australian context, he was involved in the initial development of the MIT rules as an industry advocate and remained involved in their ongoing development.

He has now retired from partnership but remains a strategic consultant to KPMG, a global SWF and several proposed real estate platforms across the industrial, education, medical and debt sectors.