HCM CITY - The 2016 Property Report Congress, the country’s most exclusive real estate conference where Asian real estate leaders meet, opens today at HCM City’s InterContinental Asiana Saigon Hotel.

Organised by PropertyGuru Group, a leading online property group in Asia, the event will feature keynote addresses and panel discussions on key issues facing the country’s property market, such as infrastructure development, green building and the rise of secondary cities, and, together with similar-minded professionals, find solutions to address these issues.

Speakers, moderators and panellists at the event include Andrew Olejnik, CEO of Timhome.vn, Sigrid Zialcita, managing director Asia-Pacific of Cushman & Wakefield, Marc Townsend, managing director of CBRE (Vietnam) Co, Ltd., Rudolf Hever, executive director of Alternaty Real Estate, Bertil De Kleynen, director of architecture & landscape, Atkins Asia Pacific, Stephen Wyatt, country head of Jones Lang Lasalle Vietnam, Ninh Văn Hiến, partner, tax & corporate services, KPMG Limited.

Terry Blackburn, founder and managing director of the Asia Property Awards, said “Việt Nam had its up and downs, and I am happy to see the market is enjoying a recovery. From the revised rules on foreign ownership to increase demand from investors to rapid urbanisation to the outstanding economic growth, the stakes are high for the local market, especially in the era of the ASEAN Economic Community.

“These issues will be discussed by our guest speakers and expert panellists at the Property Report Congress Vietnam.”

Attendees will have a chance to meet and mingle with the biggest names in Vietnamese real estate, including winners and judges of the Việt Nam Property Awards, and engage in a meaningful and informative discussion with the country’s market leaders.

They will have the opportunity to network with the biggest players in the Vietnamese real estate industry and their partners in architecture, design, construction, electronics, technology, marketing and new media advertising.

The Congress comes to the country after its successful debut in Singapore last year.

Asked why PropertyGuru Group decided to organise the Property Report Congress in Việt Nam, Blackburn said “We started the Property Report Congress in Singapore in 2015 to create a venue for Asia’s real estate experts and the Việt Nam panel had a favourable response. In fact, many of the panellists from other countries chose Việt Nam as the market to watch in 2016.

“Việt Nam is in a very exciting situation right now after revising its laws on foreign ownership.”

Property Awards

After the Property Report Congress, the InterContinental Asiana Saigon Hotel will host the second Việt Nam Property Awards.

Presented by Hansgrohe, the awards will celebrate the achievements of the country’s established and emerging developers in a total of 22 categories, including prizes for best green development, best affordable condo, best high-end condo, best housing development, best villa development, best commercial development, best hotel architectural design, best condo landscape architectural design, best residential interior design and others.

Winners will get a chance for international acclaim at the 2016 South East Asia Property Awards in Singapore in November.

Blackburn said “This year the Việt Nam Property Awards are definitely more competitive. We’ve received outstanding entries from all over the country."

The event is being supported by the Việt Nam National Real Estate Association and the country’s only English language national daily, Việt Nam News. - VNS