APREA Virtual Roadshow – Voice of Real Estate – Session 1 – Retail

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.

Simon heads Asia Pacific Research & Consultancy at Savills and has over 25 years’ experience of Asian real estate consultancy. Simon has worked with most of Hong Kong’s major developers providing consultancy services for a wide range of residential, commercial and mixed-use projects. His work typically includes feasibility studies, forecasting models, retail centre repositioning papers and market surveys. He has also worked closely with a number of governmental and quasi-governmental organisations advising on various aspects of real estate. He has advised most of Hong Kong’s major real estate-related IPOs.

Mr George HONGCHOY has served as Executive Director and Chief Executive Officer of Link Asset Management Limited since February 2009 and May 2010 respectively. Under his leadership, Link has grown from a domestic player in Hong Kong to a regional leader with a diversified portfolio worth HK$200 billion including retail facilities, car parks and office buildings spanning Hong Kong, Beijing, Guangzhou, Shanghai, Shenzhen, London and Sydney.

Mr Hongchoy is also the chairman of the Supervisory Committee of The Tracker Fund of Hong Kong, a trustee of the University of Pennsylvania, an adjunct professor of the Department of Real Estate and Construction of The University of Hong Kong and an advisor of Our Hong Kong Foundation Limited.

Mr Hongchoy began his career in New Zealand and has since held various senior management positions in financial consulting, investment banking and real estate investment.

He was named one of Harvard Business Review’s 100 Best-Performing CEOs in the World 2019, the Country Winner of Hong Kong/Macau Region in the EY Entrepreneur of the Year 2017 China Award, Business Person of the Year by DHL/SCMP Hong Kong Business Awards in 2015, and was also presented with the Director of the Year Award (Listed Companies – Executive Directors) by The Hong Kong Institute of Directors in 2011.

Mr Hongchoy holds a Bachelor of Commerce degree from the University of Canterbury and an MBA degree from The Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania. He is a Chartered Accountant, a Senior Fellow and a member of the Corporate Advisory Council of the Hong Kong Securities and Investment Institute, a Fellow member of The Hong Kong Institute of Directors, the Hong Kong Institute of Certified Public Accountants, the Chartered Accountants Australia and New Zealand, the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors, and the Institute of Shopping Centre Management.