APREA Malaysia 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.

Dato’ Stewart LaBrooy is a Board member of the Asia Pacific Real Estate Association (APREA). It is the industry body for the suppliers and users of capital in the real estate sector. He served as the founding Chairman of the Malaysian REIT Managers Association (MRMA), from 2010-2015, an organization he helped set up in 2010 to give Malaysian REIT Managers a single voice for the purpose of engagement with the Regulators and Ministry of Finance.

Dato LaBrooy has been writing on a regular basis on Property and REITs for the local mainstream print and online media for the past five years or so, and is known and recognised as the “REIT Guru” in the country. He is also a prominent speaker on the subject of Industrial Estate Development and Conventional and Islamic REITs in the region, having been invited to deliver papers in Singapore, Hong Kong, Istanbul, New York, London, Saudi Arabia, Philippines and Malaysia.

He was appointed Executive Director of Axis REIT on 22 March 2005 and Chief Executive Office (“CEO”) of Axis REIT since August 2008. Axis REIT was the first REIT to be listed in Malaysia and the first Shariah-compliant industrial REIT in the world. Under his leadership, Axis REIT has won several awards, among them, the APREA Best Practices Award in 2010, 2011 and 2013. Axis REIT has provided its investors with total average returns in excess of 25% over the 10 years he helmed the business and still trades today at a 30% premium to NAV. In 2017 Dato’ LaBrooy formed the world’s first unlisted Shariah compliant Education Asset based REIT- Alpha REIT ,which has a planned listing in 2022. He is currently serving as the Chairman of the Board of Directors.

Dato’ Stewart LaBrooy is the Executive Chairman of AREA Management Sdn. Bhd. a subsidiary of AREA Advisors Pte Ltd (AREA) an appointment he has taken since his retirement as CEO and Executive Director of Axis REIT Managers Bhd (ARMB) on 31 December 2015. With a career spanning over 40 years in the industrial space, he has spent well over a decade since 2005 in heading Axis REIT and establishing REITs as an important component of the capital markets. Dato’ Stewart LaBrooy is also a director of a number of public and private companies involved in property development, services and property investment.

Since its inception, AREA was established as a boutique advisory firm providing advice on investing in industrial properties in Malaysia, UK, Australia and Germany. AREA has decided to expand its advisory role to include funds management. It has since set up a company that will undertake the investment management activities (the AREA Industrial Development Fund 1 (AIDF 1) and AREA Management Sdn Bhd (AMSB) was set up to undertake the management of the projects of the fund in Malaysia. AREA Advisors Pte Ltd was re-designated as the Funds management company. In November 2015 AIDF 1 launched its first maiden project a 1,200,000 sq. ft. e-commerce hub in the heart of Kuala Lumpur.

Dato’ Stewart LaBrooy is also a director of a number of public and private companies involved in property development, services and property investment.

Ai Leen is a partner in the Real Estate Practice Group of Wong & Partners, the member firm of Baker McKenzie International in Malaysia. She has over 25 years' experience in the real estate industry and is recognised by both Chambers Asia Pacific and Legal 500 Asia Pacific as a Band 1 and Tier 1 practitioner for her capability in the Real Estate practice.

Ai Leen has significant experience representing local and multinational property developers and investors across complex real estate transactions, including sale and purchase agreements, tenancies, and lease agreements. Her expertise extends to the burgeoning Malaysian data center industry, where she has emerged as a leading force through her involvement in multi-million dollar projects including data center developments, greenfield investments and colocation leases or service agreements. Her ability to navigate complex legal and regulatory challenges in this emerging industry, coupled with deep understanding of the industry's dynamics, makes her the go-to person for multinational clients seeking to invest and develop data centers in Malaysia.

Alistair LaBrooy is a seasoned leader with over 12 years of international experience in industries such as Oil & Gas, Pharmaceuticals, Nuclear, Data Centers, and Food Processing. Specializing as a Lead Control Systems, Instrumentation, and Commissioning Engineer, Alistair worked his way from junior roles to leading major engineering and project management ventures worldwide, including Europe, the Middle East, and Africa.

He has played a pivotal role in the development of several patented technologies, consistently leveraging his deep technical expertise to drive innovation across multiple industries. As the Chief Technology Officer at AREA Group, Alistair is at the helm of transformative digital initiatives. He has successfully launched data-driven social media advertising and marketing campaigns, utilizing analytics to optimize engagement and reach. Currently, he is leading the development of an advanced market intelligence platform, designed to provide real estate developers with unparalleled insights and value-added services. This platform is redefining how data is harnessed for strategic decision-making, particularly in areas such as data center site selection, ensuring optimal site choices by analyzing critical factors like infrastructure, connectivity, and resource availability.

Richard Mills has over 30 years of experience in engineering and construction, delivering projects across the APAC region. Beginning his career in the Oil and Gas industry, he transitioned to Data Centre delivery 15 years ago. He has been responsible for supporting business growth by delivering assets that are commercially and operationally efficient. Based in Singapore, he has held key roles at Bechtel, Keppel, and Microsoft, managing a wide range of projects in APAC and Europe with diverse customer requirements. Currently, Richard leads the Data Centres Design and Development team at ESR Group, spearheading the development of data centre assets across APAC.

Azlan Zainal boasts more than two decades of extensive experience in architecture specializing in industrial development across the United Kingdom and Malaysia. He is currently leading Sime Darby Property’s industrial sector, focusing on data centre, aerospace, smart logistics, manufacturing, and SME supply chains. His expertise spans across all key industrial components in supporting companies to achieve their business efficiency via the creation of ecosystem integration, introduction of industrial solutions, and collaboration with industrial technology partners such as the application of digital twin technology, which enhances industrial operations through real-time data and predictive analytics.

Passionate about aligning industrial clients' business strategies with global industry trends, Azlan recognizes that disruptive changes are reshaping business models, impacting employment, and driving the need for transformation. He emphasizes collaboration, capability-building, and technological innovation to future-proof businesses while ensuring sustainability and environmental responsibility. As industries evolve, success will depend on fostering strong partnerships, enhancing expertise, and prioritizing environmental stewardship thus maintaining profitability. His initiatives extend to industrial sustainability and socio-economic impact programs, fostering long-term growth and resilience in the evolving industrial landscape.