REIT Landscape in Singapore

Mr Chan is the Head of Research and Analysis at Singapore Exchange, responsible for research content, data analytics and client coverage. As a strong advocate for investor education, he manages a team that produces content to highlight important market developments to empower investors. Singapore Exchange has one of the largest subscriber bases in Singapore receiving the team’s research content.

With over 20 years of experience in the finance industry, Mr Chan has taken up roles on both the buy-side and sell-side in various locations including Seoul, Shanghai and Singapore. Prior to SGX, Mr Chan led the equity investment team at DBS Asset Management in Singapore. He was also actively involved in product development and led the launch of the STI ETF in 2009. In Shanghai, Mr Chan held the role of Head of Research at Nomura Securities covering China’s domestic A- shares market. In Seoul, he was a Technology Analyst covering the semiconductor sector and saw the transformation of Korean semiconductor companies into global leaders. Before joining Nomura Securities, Mr Chan was at Bank of America Equity Partners, a private equity firm investing extensively across Asia. He was involved in transactions in Japan, India and Southeast Asia across various industries in the mid-nineties.

Dr Lok is responsible for nurturing ethics trainers, producing ethics bite-size media as well as facilitating member societies to promote ethical behavior in their local capital markets. In his role, Dr Lok works with member societies to advance awareness and adoption of CFA Institute ethics and standards, as well as policy positions on ethical conduct and culture related issues. This involves outreach to local stakeholders, including the industry, financial regulator, and the public across the APAC markets. Dr Lok also manages ethics related content and events together with societies leaders as well as facilitating their outreach activities on the Asia-Pacific Research Exchange (ARX) post publication.
Dr Lok joined CFA Institute in February 2014 as the Director of Capital Markets Policy in the Standards & Advocacy Division (APAC) before moving to the role of Director, Society Advocacy Engagement (APAC) in January 2017. In that role, Dr Lok has built up close relationships with society leaders and volunteers in the APAC region. Dr Lok was also responsible for directing the establishment of the Asia-Pacific Research Exchange (ARX). Over the years, he co-authored two monographs on portfolio pumping and market manipulation, submitted numerous regulatory consultation papers, written many blogs & articles and supported the Singapore Society in their Industry Research series in the Singapore Business Times.
During the decade prior to joining CFA Institute, Dr Lok was the senior investment manager of a Chinese solar-energy conglomerate and worked as both a buy and sell-side research analyst in Singapore. Dr Lok also served as the Adjunct head of two modules in Nanyang Technological University (南阳理工学院) as well as the module leaders for various universities in Hong Kong SAR, Mainland China, and Singapore.
Dr Lok graduated with a degree in Electrical & Electronic Engineering from the Nanyang Technological University in Singapore in 2003. Subsequently, he went on to read his MBA at the University of Manchester in 2013. He obtained the FRM certification from the Global Association of Risk Professionals in 2007 and was subsequently awarded the CFA certification from the CFA Institute in 2008. Dr Lok was recently awarded a doctorate degree from the University of Middlesex, London in 2021. His latest publication was a co-authorship with ACCA entitled “21 Sector Analysis: A Questioning Framework for Investors”.

Ms Fong is Chief Investor Relations (IR) and Capital Markets Officer and also the Chief Sustainability Officer at MUST. She is responsible for IR, communication, sustainability and helps to steer the strategy and the equity capital markets requirements for MUST.

Ms Fong has over 15 years of experience in IR, capital markets and research. Prior to joining MUST, Ms Fong was Associate Director, IR and Corporate Finance in Temasek Holdings and Head of IR and Corporate Communications in ESR-REIT. In addition, Ms Fong was formerly Head of IR for CapitaLand Mall Asia, where she was responsible for creating the narrative for the company’s retail businesses in Singapore and four other countries. Early in her career, Ms Fong was Associate Director, Listings at SGX, where she advised companies on corporate governance and the regulatory framework for public-listed companies in Singapore.
Ms Fong holds a Master’s in Finance and Investment from the University of Nottingham, UK and a Bachelor of Science (Honours) in Banking and Finance from the University of London, UK.

Christine is the Head of Research, APAC at Knight Frank. She has over 15 years of industry experience, helping to shape the long-term business strategy by developing and implementing research initiatives that feed into the research centre of excellence for potential broader application.

She curates and co-ordinates regional forecasts and market outlook for clients across the office, industrial and residential sectors as well as specialist asset classes such as student accommodation, multi-family and data centres. Prior to joining Knight Frank, Christine was the Head of Business Development Services for Southeast Asia, overseeing both the research and marketing resources. She was responsible for managing and delivering real estate and economic research and strategic analysis, with the view of providing research-based perspectives to commercial leasing and investment processes. Her insight and in-depth knowledge of real estate market is also well sought-after by both the local and international media.

Christine began her real estate career as a property correspondent and commentator with Singapore Press Holdings (SPH) where she interviewed key market players from listed company CEOs to top government officials on various property-related issues.

She has a Bachelor of Science degree in Engineering from Cornell University (US) and a Master of Arts degree in Media and Communications from University of London (UK).

Noel has over a decade of experience in real estate capital markets, spanning a range of roles inclusive of research, investment and property management. He runs a private family office investing mainly in REITs and developers across Asia Pacific and co-founded K Hotel – Singapore’s leading lease and operate hotel company.

Noel is currently with JLL – a leading global real estate services company, where he works on OfficeBlocks, a revolutionary way of utilizing machine learning and artificial intelligence (AI) to help real estate investors make better investment and asset management decisions.

Noel placed in the Dean’s List for the Master’s in Applied Finance program at Singapore Management University and is a CFA charter holder.

Ms Beh Siew Kim is the Chief Executive Officer of the Managers of Ascott Residence Trust (ART). Ms Beh joined ART in 2017, and spearheads the overall strategic planning and implementation of investment and operational strategies for ART. In addition, she oversees the strategic management of ESG in ART's key processes and decision-making, so as to deliver sustainable stakeholder value over the long term whilst growing responsibly.

Ms Beh has over 25 years of experience in investment, financial and corporate planning, development, compliance and audit. Prior to joining ART, she was with the CapitaLand Group for over 10 years, and was the Head, Corporate Planning & Compliance / Financial Controller at CapitaLand China. She was responsible for the corporate planning, financial reporting, forecasting, capital management and compliance functions of CapitaLand China. As a member of the senior management team, Ms Beh has been actively involved in the deal analysis for investments and divestments, set-up of private equity funds, investor relations, as well as private and institutional financing. Prior to joining the CapitaLand Group, Ms Beh held various finance and audit positions, as Vice President, Finance in Sembcorp Industries Limited and as auditor in Ernst & Young and Arthur Andersen.

Ms Beh holds a Bachelor of Business (Accounting) from the University of Tasmania, Australia, and is also a member of the Institute of Singapore Chartered Accountants.