International Property Investment And Development Conference - Day One

09:00

Registration and Coffee

10:00

Chairman's Opening Remarks:

Kamel Lazaar, Chairman, Swicorp, Saudi Arabia

10:10

International Keynote: Powerful Strategies And Tactics For Mastering Every Deal – Trump Style Negotiation

George Ross, Executive Vice President and Senior Counsel, Trump Organisation, USA

11:00

Value Creation In Middle East Real Estate Markets - Fuelling The Growth Engine

• Is the Middle East market at the beginning of a long-term growth cycle?
• Analysing local, regional and international demand vs. supply
• Hotspots – which countries in the region are emerging?
• How attractive is Middle East real estate investment in comparison to other emerging property hot spots – Asia, India, China, Russia?
• Cross-border property investment
• Combating rising inflflation – what is the solution and what impact will this have on the real estate industry?
• Are we heading for a collapse in real estate prices?
• The future of gulf real estate – an investor’s perspective 

Blair Hagkull, Managing Director, Jones Lang LaSalle MENA, UAE
Mr Wong Heang Fine, CEO, CapitaLand ILEC Pte. Ltd and CapitaLand GCC Holdings Pte. Ltd
Henry Azzam, CEO, Middle East and North Africa, Deutsche Bank, UAE
Kate Godfrey, Senior Consultant, Oxford Business Group, UAE 

Real Estate Legislation - Too Much Or Not Enough?

• Update on the legislative and regulatory environment impacting real estate investment and development in the region
• Key government initiatives in infrastructure, privatisation and deregulation
• Escrow law – the developers’ perspective on how this is impacting the fifinancing of their projects
• JV’s and partnerships – benefifits and opportunities

Lisa Dale, Partner – Head of property Department, Al Tamimi & Company, UAE
Duane Keighran, Senior Associate, Freshfifields Bruckhaus Deringer, UAE

A panel of institutional investors, fund groups and bankers discuss their requirements and strategies for investment.

• Balancing real estate product portfolio – debt, equity, REITs?
• What are the factors encouraging or discouraging institutional investors from entering at present?
• Key factors in attracting investors’ interests
• Where do foreign investors see their priorities?
• What determines whether a real estate investment opportunity is attractive?
• Macro-economic conditions

Ian Ohan, Head of Investment Transactions, Middle East & North Africa, Jones Lang LaSalle MENA, UAE
Paul Devonshire, Managing Director, Pramerica Property Funds AG, Germany
Richard Draycott, Chief Operating Officer, Goodman Sorouh, UAE

Don’t miss this exciting and interesting new addition to Cityscape Dubai. The man who takes no prisoners is descending to
Cityscape Dubai this October. He will be chairing ‘The Hot Debate’, which is new this year. This session promises to be the talk of the town, as all the hottest and most controversial issues will get discussed and pulled apart by Jonathan and our panel of experts and leading industry figures.

Once you register, you will have the chance to send in your questions in advance to make sure your hot topic gets featured. Everything from property tax, new laws and sustainability will be discussed and debated.

Don’t miss this serious and controversial new feature by reserving your place today. Feel the electrifying tension building up already!

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EMERGING MARKETS TAKE CENTRE STAGE – CHINA, INDIA, EASTERN EUROPE, AFRICA AND LATIN AMERICA

China - Far East, Far Out Or Far Fetched?

Analysis of China’s real estate sector against a backdrop of the economy at large: where to now?

• Is there an oversupply of foreign exchange reserves?
• What is the Chinese government doing in response to high FDIs and a rapidly overheating market?
• What forms are the new capital inflows going to take: opportunity funds, institutional investors and publicly listed companies?
• Why do good deals escape foreign investors?
• What’s keeping the irrepressible REITs from taking off in China

Asia - Has Vietnam Arrived?

• Fuelling the demand for office and residential space: Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City leading the way
• Is it pure speculation or a genuine opportunity?
• Breaking through the legal and regulatory web

Asian REITs - What's Next In Store?

• Assessing REITs across Asia
• Effect of the sub-prime crisis on Asia REITs

Nicholas Brooke, Chairman, Professional Property Services Group, Hong Kong
David Blackhall, Deputy Managing Director, VinaCapital Real Estate, Vietnam

India’s real estate market is growing at a rapid pace as a result of continued economic growth, favourable demographic changes, fiscal benefits, lower interest rates and sustained demand from end users as well as investors. The Indian real estate industry is estimated to grow by 33% to US$50 billlion by 2010 and India is looking to remain an appealing investment option for both domestic and foreign investors. The Government of India has been a keen driver behind the ‘boom’ with policies being opened up allowing 100% FDI, and as a result some of the world’s largest property developers and investors are entering the market. So how can India sustain its growth in all asset classes and which cities offer the biggest potential return on investment?

• Drivers for international investment in Indian real estate
• Identifying India’s most profitable asset classes and cities
• Cross border joint ventures – current legal, regulatory and tax regime
• Balancing equity and debt capital in Indian real estate portfolio
• Measuring risk and managing volatility

Shahzaad Dalal, Vice Chairman & Managing Director, IL&FS Investment Managers Limited, India
Arun K Nanda, Executive Director & President, Mahindra & Mahindra, India
Lakshmi Narayanan, CEO, Real Estate Bank India, India
Sanjay Sachdeva, President – Corporate Strategy & Business Development, Advance India Projects Limited, India

The emerging nations of Central and Eastern Europe are becoming increasingly good markets for real estate investment, representing interesting development opportunities in the residential, industrial and commercial sectors, and achieving a leading position in the global investment market. The recent U.S. economic crisis has not yet affected Central and Eastern European real estate markets. Its strong domestic capital seems to signal market maturity with healthy competition between international and local capital. Also, a spotlight on the largest Eastern real estate markets: Russia, Ukraine, Kazakhstan, are showing signs of generating substantial growth over the next period. Eastern European countries are forecasting double-digit growth for 2008-2010. In the past few years, Russia has become an important player in the global economy, including in the real estate sector. A positive trend in Russian commercial property acquisitions and sales suggests investment markets are developing quickly. Investor confidence, deriving from the country’s long term potential, is yielding investment in the distribution and warehouse sectors for 2008, especially when done in cooperation with local investors.

Alwin M Tamacius, Chairman, Guardian Managers Ltd., UK
Jerry Oates, Managing Director, Knight Frank, Russia
Paul Green, Chief Financial Officer, Limitless LLC, UAE

Lifting the Veil On Africa - The Enigmatic Jewel Exploring The Developments And Investment Potential of The Residential, Commercial, Industrial And Hospitality Sectors Over The Next 2 Years Across The Untapped Continent

• Practical insights into which sectors and which countries offer the best investments and market capitalisation strategies
• Getting a slice of the pie of major upcoming sector developments; which are the best entry routes and how do you overcome the ground barriers
• Examining how foreign investors should go about structuring, financing and executing development projects
• Driving real estate demand and maintaining a balanced correlation between investor risk and reward – How resilient is Africa to the current global economic slowdown and its own political instability?

Geoffrey Kruger Snr, Chairman, DTZ Leadenhall, South Africa
David Baker, Director Valuations, DTZ Leadenhall, South Africa
Geoff Kruger Jnr, Director of African Operations, DTZ Leadenhall, South Africa

Latin America - The New Wave

• South America is one of the most exciting emerging real estate markets in the world and with recent economic stability in Brazil, investors are turning their eyes to this lucrative market, which is now becoming a hot spot for foreign investment
• How are institutional investors investing in Latin America? Exploiting the local investment climate for leveraging your portfolio of real estate private equity and venture funds
• How will the recent recovery signals and ‘market correction’ impact the need for increased liquidity and sustainability of the Brazilian real estate market in the face of rapid growth?
• Cross-examine the investment channels currently available and explore future funding instruments, alternative options and structures for real estate development
• With the current influx of FDI into the region, how can investors better hedge its property market, seek greater portfolio diversification and benefit from investing in offshore real estate funds?
• Demystify the legal and fiscal challenges for foreign investors and discover how to overcome the regulatory compliances and complexities involved in the structuring process

Wenceslao Bunge, Managing Director – European-Latin American Head Real Estate Group, Credit Suisse, UK
Eduardo Machado, Managing Director, Carlyle Group, Brazil 

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TO MIX OR NOT TO MIX: HOT OFF THE PRESS – REAL ESTATE SECTOR DEVELOPMENTS AND ANALYSIS

How Will Retail Real Estate Hold Its Own And Continue To Create High Returns?

• Can you still play the retail only card in the region – An ultimate tried and tested method or time to
  bring on more mixing?
  Creating a strong value proposition for strong retail development projects, delivering strong returns through world class business models and top quality management
• Examine risk allocation on a mixed use development project: Exploring perspectives from finance management
• Achieving a balanced property portfolio through sector specific investment in order to propel growth

Shahram Shamsaee, Senior Vice President – Shopping Malls, MAF Properties LLC, UAE
Graham Dreverman, Group Managing Director, Nakheel Retail, UAE

Strengthening The Next Act For Commercial Office Property Development: What Does The Future Hold With Demand Reaching its Peak Frontier?

• Where are we on the commercial property growth curve? Is this growth utopia set to continue
• How are markets adjusting to the rent cap dilemma, or are we looking to develop a secondary market?
• What is being done to mitigate the risk of overbuilding in the region, or will we ever reach that state?
• Comparative analysis: how attractive and lucrative is commercial property for investors and developers, compared with leisure and residential?

Robin Williamson, Managing Director – Middle East Operations, DTZ International, UAE

Industrial Real Estate: Is This Asset Class Coming of Age In The Region With The Increase In Demand For Logistic Hubs?

• Summarising the trends, challenges, risks and rewards for industrial development in today’s property market
• Comparing land values, approval processes, escalating construction costs, market demand and determining the best regions for industrial development
• With the growth and demand for IT in 21st century business, what level of service offerings can industrial tenants expect? How can creditable tenants offset an industrial investor’s risk?
• Assessing the development and investment potential of industrial growth amidst the hype of other property sectors, especially luxury and tourism
• Reinventing the wheel of real estate transactions at a time of high growth in the IT sector: How does this region compare to Asia – another all time high growth IT / BPO market

Joseph Ghazal, Senior Vice President, Regional Director, GCC, ProLogis, UAE

Crystallising The Opportunity In Residential Real Estate: Strategies For Development Now, Next And Beyond The Horizon

• Affordable housing – a necessity in the region, but how attractive is this to investors? What are the yields and returns when compared to luxury housing?
• Examining the regulatory changes impacting investment in the residential market
• How is the risk and return profile of residential real estate being impacted by the advent of mixed use development and the growth of high-end luxury apartments?
• Residential: Living the High-End Life – Is there more cash at the summit?

Elaine Jones, CEO, Asteco, UAE

Transending The Paradigm Shift Of Mixed Use Developments: Creating A New Regional Economic Hub In South-East Asia - The Iskandar Malaysia Experience

• How is Iskandar Malaysia attracting foreign capital?
• Tax Incentives
• Case Study: Experience of Middle Eastern consortium in Iskandar Malaysia
• Transforming urban retail strips into vital commercial hubs – How should developers and retailers rethink and reinvent existing mall developments for longterm competitive positioning?
• Making retail real estate work for your property portfolio with the search of higher investor yields and market share acquisition
• Driving retail development and investment growth phases through market penetration of second and third-tier cities – How do formulating differentiation and ROI strategies differ from the metropolis?
• Adopting the new-found performance lever of streamlining core processes and improving operational efficiency in increasing overall demand for retail space

Dato’ Ikmal Hijaz Hashim, CEO, Iskandar Regional Authority (IRDA), Malaysia

Scaling The Pyramid Of Luxury Real Estate: Capitalising On The Increasing Plethora Of Opportunities In Luxury Hotels And High-End Branded Residences

• Identifying key customers in this sector and how developers can successfully target them
• Understanding the importance of branding in high-end luxury real estate
• What are the investment prospects for luxury properties and how do their returns stack up against other residential asset classes?
• Designing project concepts for luxury living and meeting expectations of residents and owners by providing all elements of an exceptional lifestyle
• Broadening of the real estate luxury segment, in the near term, what constitution of luxury properties can we foresee in both hoteliers and developers’ property chain?

Rohit Talwar, CEO, Fast Future, UK

Sustainability In Focus-Hype Or Reality? Evaluating New Risks And Opportunities Fuelled By An Increasing Consumer And Market Demand For Sustainable Real Estate

• Implementation of cost-effective design measures and realisation of significant economic savings with the increased ‘lifespan’ of green buildings
• Sustainable architecture and ‘green’ investments: increasing the property asset value and delivering projected financial returns – Can they compete with conventional developments?
• Aligning your property portfolio with ‘green’ initiatives and putting the principles of sustainable architecture into practice
• Analysing the operational impact of a sustainable building on capital value: Green rated buildings – Worth their weight in gold? 

Stephen Oehme, Regional Director - Value Management and Sustainability, Hyder Consulting Middle East, UAE

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INTERACTIVE ROUNDTABLES – ACTION

This session will be presented as six simultaneous roundtables divided according to the hot topics you have identified as your most burning issues. Participants will have the opportunity to take part in two roundtable discussions, each one lasting 45 minutes, with a 15 minute break to allow for you to move from one table to another.

Delegates have found that they come out of the session with brilliant new ideas and innovative solutions to their biggest and most critical challenges. Once you register your place for the entire conference, we will ask you to confirm in advance which session you want to join. Places are allocated on a first-come, first-serve basis so register now and start benefiting today.

• Discussion 1: Joint Ventures In The Middle East – With Or Without Local Partners?
• Discussion 2: Infrastructure: The Oil In The Engine Or A Fly In The Ointment?
• Discussion 3: Asset Management – What Works, What Doesn’t?
• Discussion 4: The UK And Europe: Valuable Or Volatile?
• Discussion 5: Investing In Distressed Markets – Great Timing For US Investments?
• Discussion 6: How, Where, When And Why? Developers’ Issues In The Middle East

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