APREA Japan Conference

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.

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.

He has also served as a Non-Executive Director of Longevity Partners.

Recently, he has taken on a new challenge as an executive director at REVOLUTION Co., Ltd., where he oversees real estate investments.

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, and a distinguished Fellow of the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors (RICS).

Mr. Takehiko Nakao is currently Adviser, Sumitomo Corporation and Chairman, Center for International Economy and Strategy.

He is also an executive board member (external) of the Daiichi Life Insurance, Ltd.

Concurrently, he teaches as Visiting Professor at the National Graduate Institute for Policy Studies (GRIPS) and Graduate School of Public Policy, the University of Tokyo.

He is a member of the Trilateral Commission, Board of Governors of Asian Institute of Management (Manila), the Japan Corporate Governance Network, and several other international and Japanese non-profit organizations.

Before assuming the current job on August 1, 2024, he was Chairman of the Institute at Mizuho Research & Technologies, Ltd.

From April 2013 to January 2020, Mr. Nakao served as President of the Asian Development Bank (ADB), which is based in Manila with membership of 68 countries including 46 regional developing countries.

Mr. Nakao was the Vice Minister of Finance for International Affairs between 2011 and 2013, and in charge of foreign exchange markets, G20 and G7 processes, ASEAN+3 financial cooperation, and bilateral financial relations with the US, Asian, and others.

Mr. Nakao has gained extensive experience in international finance, budget, tax policy, and financial market since he joined the Ministry of Finance in 1978. He was assigned as Minister at the Embassy of Japan in Washington D.C. between 2005 and 2007, and worked as advisor at IMF's Policy Development and Review Department between 1994 and 1997.

He has published books and numerous papers on financial and economic issues both in Japanese and English.

His memoir “The Rise of Asia: Perspectives and Beyond” covering his ADB days as well as those of Vice Minister was published by ADB in July 2022 (available on ADB HP). He also took an initiative and was a lead editor for “Asia’s Journey to Prosperity: Policy, Market, and Technology over 50 Years”, published by ADB in January 2020 (available on ADB HP).

Mr. Nakao holds a BA degree in Economics from the University of Tokyo (1978) and a Master of Business Administration from the University of California-Berkeley (1982).

Katsuyuki Victor Mineta has more than 35 years of global and institutional real estate investment, development and management experience where 17 years from Meiji Yasuda Life Insurance Company, 4 years from AMB Property (current Prologis) in Japan as its Representative Director and an Advisory Committee member, and 14 years from KIC group companies. He currently serves as Founder & CEO of KIC Holdings, Inc. and its affiliate companies. He is also a council member of Japan Association of Logistics Property Appraisal and chairman of Self Storage Securitization Association (Japan). He holds bachelor’s degree in commerce accounting from Chuo University in Tokyo, Japan and participated Center for Real Estate at MIT in Boston and Executive master’s in finance at Baruch College in New York.

Kenji Utsumi is a partner at Nagashima Ohno & Tsunematsu and recognized as a leading lawyer in Real Estate practice at various legal awards. He has advised clients, as their main legal counsel, on large real estate transactions, several of which are awarded as the Real Estate Deal of the Year Award, Asian Legal Business, Japan Law Awards for years 2019, 2018, 2017, 2009, and 2008. Mr. Utsumi regularly counsels a number of TSE and SGX listed REIT clients as well as real estate private equity funds on a wide range of matters including formation, public offerings, M&A and restructuring of REITs and real estate private equity funds. Mr. Utsumi has substantial experience with respect to real estate private equity funds and has represented fund arrangers, fund investors, lenders and tenants, and was recently informed that he is known as “the lawyer who has assisted his clients in acquiring the largest amount of real estates in Japan.”

Kara Capital 21 is a real estate consultancy in Singapore. Kara Capital helps real estate investors to identify relevant real estate investment managers globally for specific real estate strategies.

Their network of investors in Malaysia, Singapore and Brunei include pension funds, sovereign wealth funds, savings institutions, real estate developers, insurance companies, real estate funds and large corporates. 

Kara Capital has helped real estate investors deploy USD300 million via real estate investment managers globally since their inception.

Nazmi Camalxaman, a Malaysian, founded Kara Capital in 2021.

Prior to Kara Capital, Nazmi was a real estate banker in Singapore for over 11 years where he gradually developed his network of real estate investors across South East Asia. 

Jim Garvey is the Portfolio Manager for LaSalle Property Fund, the firm’s open-ended flagship US core fund and also the largest commingled fund managed by the company. Before his current role, Jim served as co-head of Acquisitions, where he oversaw greater than $10 billion in direct acquisitions and joint venture investments. Before joining the Acquisitions group, he served as a Portfolio Manager, managing a separate account that included both direct ownership and joint venture interests.

Prior to joining LaSalle in 1993, Jim was a Partner with Hamilton Partners, a regional real estate development firm headquartered in Chicago. He also worked in leasing and development for the Trammell Crow Company.

Jim earned his MBA from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania and a BSBA in Finance from John Carroll University. He is a member of both Urban Land Institute and Pension Real Estate Association and is CFA registered.

Hironobu Nakamura is the Chief Executive Officer of Canadian Solar Asset Management K.K. (CSAM), where he leads the management of Canadian Solar Infrastructure Fund, Inc. (TSE: 9284), Japan’s largest listed infrastructure fund dedicated to solar energy. He is responsible for overseeing a portfolio of utility-scale solar assets and ensuring long-term value creation and sustainability for investors.

With over 20 years of experience in the infrastructure sector, Mr. Nakamura has built a strong track record in renewable energy investment, project finance, and institutional asset management. Prior to joining CSAM, he served as Chief Investment Officer at Asset Management One Alternative Investments, where he led the firm’s alternative investment platform, focusing on infrastructure debt strategies for both domestic and international institutional clients.

Earlier in his career, Mr. Nakamura worked at a leading Japanese megabank, where he was involved in global project finance, supporting large-scale energy and infrastructure developments across Asia, the Americas, and the Middle East. His expertise includes fund structuring, cross-border deal execution, and ESG-integrated investment practices.

Mr. Nakamura is recognized for his leadership in advancing Japan’s energy transition and his commitment to building resilient, sustainable infrastructure platforms that align the interests of investors, communities, and the environment.

Kemmu joined Longevity Partners in September 2022. He heads all operations for Japan and Asia from our Tokyo office.

He has over 16 years of experience in finance, where he specializes in real estate investments and global credit investments. He helps sustain our growth and respond to our client’s needs whilst managing the delivery of all our sustainability services.

Professional Experience

• Apr. 2025 - present  - Operating Officer, General Manager Sustainable Business Promotion Department
  Mizuho Financial Group, Inc.
  (concurrently Mizuho Bank, Ltd.)
•  Apr. 2024 - Operating Officer, General Manager
  Project Finance Department
  Mizuho Bank, Ltd.

• Apr. 2021 - General Manager
  Project Finance Department
  Mizuho Bank, Ltd.

• Apr. 2019 - Head of Asia Office (Singapore)
  Global Project Finance Department
  Mizuho Bank, Ltd.
• Jan. 2016 - Deputy General Manager,
  Global Project Finance Department
  Mizuho Bank, Ltd.

• Nov. 2009 - Asia Office (Hongkong)
  Global Structured Finance Department
  Mizuho Corporate Bank, Ltd.

• Aug. 2004 - Joined our group
  Project Finance Department
  Mizuho Corporate Bank, Ltd.

• Apr. 1995 - Joined Chiyoda Corporation

Education

• Jun. 2011 - MBA from Georgetown University
  in Washington DC, USA

• Mar. 1995 - Graduated from Seikei University
  B.A. in Economics

Horie is a co-founder of CSR Design Green Investment Advisory, Co., Ltd., which focuses on investment advisory and research on green building and sustainable finance. He also has 22 years' experience in finance – he has worked for IBJ and Merrill Lynch, and also served as Managing Director responsible for structured finance including carbon trading and renewable energy funds at Deutsche Bank. Horie is a graduate of The University of Tokyo's Faculty of Law, and obtained an MBA from the Haas School of Business at the University of California, Berkeley.

Horie served as a member of global Advisory Group of UNEP FI Property Working Group, and currently, he is a member of global Real Estate Advisory Committee of PRI, as well as serving as a member of Standards Committee of GRESB. He has also participated in many governmental committees on ESG organized by Japanese MLIT and other ministries as a member or chairperson.