2024 ULI South Korea Annual Conference

When

2024-06-19
2024-06-19T09:00:00 - 2024-06-19T17:30:00
Asia/Seoul

Choose Your Calendar

    Where

    Josun Palace, Seoul Gangnam 231 Teheran-ro, Gangnam-gu Seoul 06142 SOUTH KOREA
    2024 ULI South Korea Annual Conference <Senior Housing>
     
    Date and Time: 19 June 2024 | 9:00am-5:30pm 
    Venue: Josun Palace Seoul Gangnam 

    By 2025, the demographic landscape is poised to dramatically shift, with seniors aged 65 and above projected to comprise over 20% of the total population, entering an era of a super-aged society. This significant change is steering the real estate sector to not only address the surging demand for senior housing facilities but also to explore the burgeoning opportunities within the innovative senior living market.

    The 2024 ULI South Korea Annual Conference aims to lead these trends and changes by inviting esteemed experts in the field of senior housing from both domestic and international arenas to share global insights and foster discussion on Korea senior housing development and challenging issues.
    Drawing inspiration from the well-established senior housing markets of the United States and Japan, the conference is meticulously crafting a rich agenda that promises collaboration between world-renowned experts and leading domestic professionals.

    2024 ULI South Korea Annual Conference eagerly anticipates the active participation and valuable contributions of our members and industry professionals. This event stands as a prime opportunity for networking, learning, and shaping the future trajectory of the senior living sector.

    Click to check out the latest PROGRAM AGENDA


    Speakers

    Junhyung Shin

    Shinhan Life Care

    Mr Shin is the Head of Business Development at Shinhan Life Care, overseeing the development and operation of senior facilities which will be managed by the company. Shinhan Life Care, a wholly owned subsidiary of Shinhan Life, is dedicated to senior care-related business within the Shinhan Financial Group. The company is preparing to operate daycare centers, nursing homes, and senior communities in South Korea, starting with urban facilities in Seoul and planning to expand nationwide in the long term. Before joining Shinhan Life Care, Mr. Shin gained extensive experience in real estate and alternative investments over 16 years at Shinhan Life and Mirae Asset Securities. He also served as the head of Shinhan Life's London office, establishing himself as an expert with global investment capabilities. In response to the rapidly increasing demand for senior facilities due to the aging population, he is preparing to collaborate with various partners to meet the diverse needs of senior customers.

    Sungmin Kim

    Woomi Construction

    Mr. Kim is pursuing senior healthcare-related projects with partners. Woomi Estate, a real estate asset management company, is expanding into senior business areas and building a brand as a comprehensive real estate service provider. With over 20 years of experience, Managing Director Kim has expertise in product planning, tenant recruitment, and opening preparations and operations for major domestic senior housing projects. He worked at Seoul Senior Tower Co., Ltd., the leading company in senior housing, from 2003 to 2020. He also has experience in developing the senior housing project in Busan Osiria Meditown, scheduled for completion in February 2025, in collaboration with partners. His consulting experience includes senior housing projects like Magok Le West and the development of senior-friendly industrial facilities in Cheongna Medical Complex Town. Kim has been involved in ensuring the implementation of the initial vision and concept from the master plan stage through development and post-opening

    Seonghee Cheon

    Seoul Housing & Communities Corporation

    Cheon serves as a housing advisor at SHCC, which is the largest public housing provider and developer in Seoul, South Korea. His extensive experience spans three decades, primarily within the fields and administration division for public housing development. As a policy maker, Cheon has actively participated in various projects aimed at improving housing conditions and quality of life for Seoul’s residents. Some notable initiatives include: Supportive Housing for Homeless People, Land Leasehold Housing for Young People, Post-Sales System for Housing Customers, Innovation Policies for Public Housing Construction, and Gold City Project Cheon’s current focus lies on the Gold City project, a community designed for retirees. This project aims to address population decline in rural areas by creating attractive living spaces for seniors. By fostering community engagement, providing amenities, and promoting a high quality of life, Gold City projects aspire to revitalize local communities and combat depopulation.

    Sanghoon Lee

    Senior Manager, MDM Plus

    Sanghoon Lee, who is the Senior Manager of MDM Plus's development division 1, is in charge of the entire development project, including land purchase, development, marketing, and project management. He is currently in charge of the Seoripul Complex Development Project, the largest office development project in Korea, and Dongtan Healthcare Project, the first senior REIT’s in Korea. Furthermore, he has successfully carried out ACRO Yeouido The One and The Sharp Banpo River Park, the high-end residential project. Prior to joining MDM Plus, he was in charge of the project management of SS-VINA PJT in Vietnam and CSP PJT in Brazil from 2010 to 2015 for POSCO E&C, and he was in charge of the project management for Haeundae LCT and Yeouido Park1 project from 2016 to 2020 and he has developed various real estate investments and projects.

    Aron Will

    CBRE

    Aron Will Mr. Will began his career with the predecessor company to CBRE Capital Markets, and helped launch the senior housing debt practice for the firm. In 2016, Mr. Will was named the youngest Vice Chairman in company history. Today, Mr. Will Co-Heads National Senior Housing for CBRE Capital Markets. Mr. Will along with partners Lisa Widmier, Austin Sacco, possess a combined 54-year Senior Housing-specific industry experience and $27 billion in transaction volume. His specialty is the capitalization of Independent Living, Assisted Living, Alzheimer’s Care and Skilled Nursing facilities. Mr. Will’s primary focus is on the origination of new business, the analysis of debt and equity investment opportunities, valuation and investment underwriting. Over the past 13 years, Mr. Will’s DSF team closed approximately $10.5+ billion in debt and equity for this specialty type and is one of the few real estate investment advisors whose platform includes: Fannie Mae (DUS certified lender), Freddie Mac (seller/servicer) and HUD/FHA, along with all the traditional lending sources. CBRE National Senior Housing has been a Top 3 senior housing originator from 2010 through 2019. In 2015 through 2019, the team originated over $6.4 billion in senior housing debt across 285 assets nationwide. In 2016 and 2019, CBRE was Fannie Mae’s #1 senior housing originator in the country. CBRE was the #1 GSE lender in the nation in 2019 with $19.5B in Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac originations. In addition to permanent debt placement and construction financing, the team has helped structure joint ventures between seasoned operators and institutional partners and has also sourced equity for development and acquisitions on a project specific and programmatic basis. Mr. Will received his B.B.A. in Finance from Southern Methodist University, where he graduated as a Distinguished BBA Scholar. He currently serves as an Executive Board Member of American Seniors Hou

    Wei Jun Yew

    Deputy Director, Housing & Development Board

    Wei Jun is a Registered Architect with the Board of Architects in Singapore. She has extensive experience in public housing and community centric design and leads a team responsible for implementing new housing developments. In recent years, her emphasis is on senior housing, working with other Ministries and agencies in developing innovative solutions to meet the evolving needs of an ageing population.

    Jeewoong Shin

    President, EAN Technology

    Dr. Shin is the founder and CEO of EAN Technology Co., Ltd., a pioneer in sustainable architecture engineering consulting in Korea since 2003. He has worked on thousands of green building projects, aiming to enhance environmental performance, reduce energy consumption, and lower carbon emissions. In 2012, he founded EAN Architects Co., Ltd., an eco-friendly design firm. Since 2014, he has led the Korea Sustainable Architectural Technology Association as its founding president. Dr. Shin holds key positions such as Vice President of the Korea Green Building Council and the Korea Institute of Ecological Architecture and Environment. He is also a Council Member of the Korea Solar Energy Society, Director of the Architectural Institute of Korea, and Director of the Korean Institute of Architectural Sustainable Environment and Building Systems. His efforts bridge industry and academia, promoting sustainable architecture practices. He graduated from Yonsei University's Department of Architectural Engineering, earning his Master's and Ph.D. in Architectural Environment. As an adjunct professor at Yonsei University, he educates and mentors future professionals in the field.

    Namsu Jang

    CEO, HDC I & CONS CO.,LTD.

    Mr. Jang is the CEO of HDC I&Cons, where he oversees real estate development and construction projects, as well as organizational management. He is particularly involved in new business planning, deal sourcing, investment attraction, product development, and marketing. With 22 years of experience in the domestic and international real estate industries, Mr. Jang has built a diverse portfolio across various areas such as real estate development, operations, sales, product planning, and marketing. He has gained insights into the future of the real estate market while working with major corporations like CJ, KT&G, and MDM, establishing himself as a real estate expert. Currently, under Mr. Jang’s leadership, HDC I&Cons is a specialized developer handling residential real estate projects, including apartments, terrace houses, and senior housing, as well as non-residential projects such as offices, knowledge industry centers, logistics centers, and studios. Recently, the company has been expanding into various areas, including senior housing, through partnerships with numerous companies, continuing its growth trajectory.

    Yongho Shin

    Principal, HAEAHN Architecture

    Mr. Shin is in charge of the development planning department at HAEAHN Architects. He assists clients in making quick and accurate decisions for projects through business feasibility, risk analysis, and product development for private projects. To ensure the feasibility of private development projects, he proposes optimized solutions for effective land use by presenting various scenarios based on market research from the design stage, setting development directions, and methods. Recently, he has been developing new business models through various proposals and product planning for senior housing. In 2021, he led the consulting, planning, and design for Korea's first healthcare complex, Osiria VL Laurer, and successfully completed subscriptions in 2022. In this project, he provided an integrated solution in the design phase of senior housing, considering business feasibility, operational efficiency, and resident satisfaction. Since then, he has reviewed over 40 senior housing projects and recently developed a new model for urban senior housing in Seoul, Daegu, and Busan.

    Yonu Cho

    CEO, CIC Division of LGE, LG Electronics

    Yonu is the CEO of Smart Cottage Company, one of the CICs (Company In Company) at CX Division, H&A Company, LG Electronics. He also is responsible for global business and management of LG Smart Cottage. He is a industrial design and new business planning expert with 15 years with various pre and mass production experiences in various design field (product, visual, UX, service, trend, etc.). He has been in charge of new business planning and facilitating at LG Electronics. After graduating from Seoul National University College of Art and Design with a bachelor's and master's degree in industrial design, he worked in product design and service design at Innodesign, and was in charge of brand, product, and UX design at KT (Korea Telecom) Group Design Policy Team. He then worked in CI/BI and UX design at K bank, an internet bank. As a team leader of the UX design team at Coway, where he worked on pre and mass production. And He works on new business planning at LG Electronics.

    Deokbae Choi

    Executive Director, HanmiGlobal D&I

    Mr. Choi (Vice President) oversees real estate development and investment projects at HanmiGlobal D&I. He is engaged in the entire process from land purchase to supply and sale, as well as the equity participation of development funds and consortiums. From 1997 to 2001, he encountered various architectural products while working at the architectural design office, and from 2002 to 2010, he oversaw real estate development projects in Shinyoung, including land purchase, development planning, product development, and licensing. Since then, he has been in charge of the Development Division, including residential products such as apartments, officetels, residential complexes, and urban development projects, hotels, and data centers.

    KyungChan Kang

    Managing Director, KPMG, KPMG

    KyungChan Kang is an Executive Director at the Real Estate Advisory Division (DA10 Division) of Samjong KPMG, where she specializes in advising on the acquisition and disposition of a wide range of real estate assets. Since 2019, she has demonstrated her expertise in the senior housing sector, participating in numerous projects. Notably, she played a crucial role in the early stages of the Magok VL LeWest and Busan Osiria VL Lhour & Lativ projects. The Real Estate Advisory Division at Samjong KPMG provides in-depth services covering all stages of real estate development, investment, finance, and product planning. The division has a particular strength in the senior housing sector, surpassing competitors with a significant track record in this area, as well as advisory services for DC and logistics center transactions. In the senior housing field, the division offers comprehensive services from initial feasibility analysis, target strategy and demand survey, market analysis, financial modeling, and funding plans, to product strategy and operation planning, boasting the highest number of industry achievements.

    Junho Pok

    CEO, IGISNEOVALUE, Asset Management

    Jun Ho Pok is a Co-CEO of IGIS Neovalue Asset Management, which is a joint venture with IGIS Asset Management and Neovalue, the real estate developer. Jun Ho is also a senior managing partner of IGIS Asset Management. He joined IGIS as a director of real estate development in 2014 and became a senior managing partner in 2020. In IGIS, he invested almost 10 Billion USD real estate development projects. Prior to joining IGIS Group, he worked at KORAMCO, the first REIT AMC in South Korea for 10 years. In KORAMCO, he also focused on real estate development projects and invested 3 Billion USD. Throughout his career, he focused and invested mainly in commercial real estate development. Jun Ho became a chairman of ULI South Korea in 2018 and also a member of ULI AP Executive Committee and ULI Global Governing Trusttees. Jun Ho earned his BSC and Master's degree in Seoul National University. His major was Landscape Architecture.

    Jeramy Ragsdale

    Founder, Thrive Senior Living, Thrive

    Mr. Ragsdale is the founder and CEO of Thrive Senior Living, an operator, owner, and developer of senior living communities throughout the US and Great Britain. Since its inception in 2009, Thrive has grown rapidly and has been recognized for its unique and ‘disruptive’ approach to design and operations. Through its focus on innovation in every aspect of the business, Thrive has created resort-quality environments across the spectrum of senior living asset classes. Thrive has developed and operated over US $2.5B in senior living real estate, returning over a 24% gross levered IRR to its investors on realized projects. Mr. Ragsdale is a private pilot, a ‘slow’ marathon runner, and lives in Atlanta, Georgia with his wife and four daughters.

    Patricia Will

    Founder & CEO, Belmont Village Senior Living

    Patricia G. Will Co-Founder and CEO Belmont Village Senior Living Patricia Will co-founded Belmont Village Senior Living in 1997, as a fully integrated developer and operator of first rate senior living communities, with a focus on assisted living and memory care. The Company operates 24 communities (approximately 3800 units) in seven American states. Belmont is currently developing a community at UC Berkeley and its first international project in Mexico City adjacent to the world-renowned ABC hospital. Past and current institutional partners include AEW/CalPERS, JPMorgan, GE, and Welltower. Prior to founding Belmont, Mrs. Will served in an executive capacity in real estate and healthcare for more than 15 years. As Vice President and Partner at Mischer Development, she developed several million square feet of commercial and medical projects. In 1994, she co-founded a development company specializing in complex healthcare campuses and has sponsored the launch of two ventures engaged in health promotion and wellness. It also provided the launch pad in 1995 for Belmont Village Senior Living. Mrs. Will earned an M.B.A. with distinction from Harvard Business School and a Bachelor of Arts degree, Phi Beta Kappa, from Reed College in Portland, Oregon. She currently serves as a Trustee of numerous academic and charitable institutions and is a recognized leader in senior living. Mrs. Will has played an integral role in setting standards and shaping policy for the industry.

    Jaryoung Choi

    Managing Director, IGIS Asset Management Co., Ltd

    Ms. Jaryoung Choi has worked as a partner in the real estate, retail, and service sectors at Nomura Research Institute in Seoul from 2002 to 2021, conducting business for domestic and global conglomerate corporations. Since December 2021, she has joined IGIS Asset Management and is responsible for domestic and global research and investment strategy. Based on macro, industry, and corporate strategies, she has been formulating the strategic direction for Next Real Estate Investment, integrating traditional real estate concepts with industry and technology. In terms of bio-related experience, she has been involved in M&A activities for pharmaceutical distribution companies, providing support for acquisitions, and executing projects related to healthcare development, among others.

    Hugh Park

    CEO, Koramco Asset Management Co., Ltd.

    Mr. Park serves as the CEO of Koramco Asset Management, overseeing domestic and international investment management, fundraising, risk management, and organizational management. With 29 years of experience in various real estate related fields such as architectural engineering, real estate advisory, real estate development, private real estate investment, and asset management, he leads Koramco Asset Management based on his extensive experience and understanding of the real estate industry. Starting from July 2024, he will also take on the responsibility as a member of the ULI Global Governing Trustees to fulfill the mission of ULI. Before joining Koramco Asset Management in 2013, he managed a county-focused real estate investment funds on behalf of European pensions and others at Orion Partners, a private investment firm based in Hong Kong. Since he joined in 2006, ASIK has successfully invested European pension funds in Korea for 18 years. Mr. Park holds a master’s degree in real estate finance and development from Cornell University, currently serving as president of the Korean alumni association of the Cornell real estate master’s program. He also holds both a bachelor's and a master’s degree in architectural engineering and urban planning, respectively, from Korea University.

    Gwansik Yoon

    Managing Director, IGIS Asset Management Co., Ltd

    Gwansik is the Managing Director of IGIS Asset Management, with over 20 years of experience in real estate investment, including development projects, real estate finance, and asset management. Currently, he oversees investments at IGIS Asset Management, focusing on new growth industries such as senior housing, life sciences, and studios, as well as traditional assets like offices and hotels. In the senior housing sector, he has completed three investments to date, establishing himself as a leading asset manager in Korea. He plans to continue expanding the senior housing business and is collaborating with various partners. Before joining IGIS Asset Management in 2015, he worked at KB Asset Management and Korea Investment Management. He holds a Bachelor of Business Administration from Sungkyunkwan University in South Korea.

    Ryan Chunghwan Sung

    Division Head, IGISNEOVALUE Asset Management

    Ryan ChungHwan Sung is currently working at IGIS NEOVALUE Asset Management company as a fund & management division head. He has more than 19 years of experience in real estate development, covering various aspects such as planning & design, development strategy, financial structuring, and fund raising. He previously worked in Real Estate Development Division at IGIS Asset Management Company, where he managed several major projects, such as Nudit Seoul Forest, Il-san Cha hospital retail, Lotte department store office conversion, & opportunistic blind fund No.1. Ryan ChungHwan Sung earned a Master's degree in Landscape Architecture from Rhode Island School of Design, and a Bachelor's degree in Landscape Architecture from Seoul National University. He also holds a certificate in Light Construction and Development Management from UC Irvine. With his diverse experience and unique perspective, Ryan brings innovative approaches to traditional real estate development.

    Daniel Cho

    Head, M&G Real Estate, M&G Real Estate

    Daniel Cho is the Head of Korea and Representative Director of M&G Real Estate, a UK-based investment manager. He oversees M&G Real Estate’s investments, asset management, and business operations in Korea. As of 2024, M&G Real Estate Korea manages approximately KRW 3.1 trillion in assets, invested across eight properties. M&G Real Estate invests in various residential sectors, including senior housing, in the UK and Europe, and is looking to expand such investments in Asia. The firm has successfully invested in the residential sector in Japan and Australia and is seeking diverse investment opportunities in Korea. Before joining M&G Real Estate, Mr. Cho worked at investment firms such as KKR, Mapletree, and Ascendas, gaining experience in investment and asset management across various sectors, including office towers, logistics centers, and mixed-use developments. Mr. Cho holds an MBA and an MS in Real Estate from Cornell University in the US, and a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration from Yonsei University in Korea.

    Jangwon Lee

    Executive Vice President, Woomi Construction

    Mr. Jangwon Lee is the Head of the Development Sales Division at Woomi Construction, where he has worked for the past 20 years. He has extensive experience managing a variety of residential and mixed-use development projects. Since 2023, he has overseen self-developed projects, private contracts, urban renewal initiatives, and public-private partnerships. Notably, Mr. Lee has managed approximately 80 development projects, including prominent ventures like the Woomi Lynn Strauss complexes in Dongtan 2 new town and the Cheongna International City Medical Complex development. Under his leadership, Woomi Construction is expanding its business areas, including architecture, civil engineering, real estate financial investments, and proptech investments. Mr. Lee is renowned for his strategic planning and collaborative efforts, particularly in senior housing integrated with global medical campuses.

    Jung-Ho Kim

    Team Manager, Shinsegae Property

    Mr. Kim is the Team Leader of Residential Development at SHINSEGAE PROPERTY, overseeing real estate development within the SHINSEGAE GROUP. He is currently involved in planning and developing apartments, hotels, mixed-use centers, and various types of housing, including senior housing. He also has extensive experience in developing complex shopping malls such as "STARFIELD," South Korea's successful shopping mall. Prior to joining SHINSEGAE PROPERTY, Mr. Kim worked at Shinsegae department store and Group Headquarters for more than 10 years as a developer in the commercial and mixed-use sectors. Mr. Kim holds a master’s degree in business administration from Yonsei University and received a BS in Architectural Engineering from In-Ha University in Korea.

    Alan Beebe

    CEO, ULI Asia Pacific

    Alan Beebe joined ULI in August 2023 and now leads ULI Asia Pacific’s strategic growth plan, which includes expanding membership and increasing engagement through a robust set of programs and events; sharing knowledge, and providing education on best practices for equitable and sustainable land use in the region; and driving impact in local communities through ongoing initiatives such as technical assistance panels and UrbanPlan. He most recently served as the President of the American Chamber of Commerce in China (AmCham China) and boasts three decades of business experience in the region. As President of AmCham China from 2016 to 2022, Beebe spearheaded strategic initiatives to foster robust U.S.-China commercial ties and enable foreign corporations, including American Fortune 500 companies, to thrive and prosper in China. He also served as Vice-Chair of the AmChams of the Asia Pacific (AAP), a regional umbrella organization supporting AmChams and American corporations across the dynamic Asia Pacific region. Prior to AmCham China, he held senior executive positions in global consulting firms and companies, advising clients in a diverse range of industries that include manufacturing, real estate, energy, and green technologies.

    Harry Lee

    Managing Director and Country Head - South Korea, Hines-AP

    Mr. Lee serves as Managing Director and Country Head and is responsible for acquisitions and development in South Korea. He brings 12 years of experience in private investment management to Hines. Prior to joining the firm in 2021, he worked for DWS as Head of Transactions, leading the acquisition and development of ten properties in Korea with a value of over $1.7 billion since 2013. He also worked for Rutter Private Equity, Seoul-based private equity management firm, managing over USD 800 million corporate buy-out and special situations investments. Lee earned a BBA in Business Administration and BA in Applied Statistics from Yonsei University. He is CFA Charterholder.

    Seunghwan Namgoong

    Associate Principal, Pickard Chilton

    Seung Hwan Namgoong, AIA, LEED AP BD+C Seung Namgoong has extensive experience on transformative urban master plans, large scale corporate headquarters, and commercial and mixed-use high-rise projects for a diverse and international client base. His education and working experiences in the United States, South Korea, and Japan not only have influenced his approach to architectural design, but also fine-tuned his understanding of appropriate buildings and urban developments with respect to different cultures. Mr. Namgoong is fluent in English, Korean, and Japanese. Mr. Namgoong is currently a key designer and the project manager for the 13-hectare / 32-acre Global Gateway Shinagawa urban development and Y2, a 297,000 m2 / 3.3 million gsf mixed-use high rise, both currently under construction in Tokyo, Japan. Most recently, he was a key member of the design team for Canal Place, the new headquarters for Dominion Energy in Richmond, Virginia. Previous project experience includes, The Atrium in Dubai, UAE; Eaton House in Dublin, Ireland; Eaton Center in Cleveland, Ohio; 24 Allen Plaza and 50 Allen Plaza, two high-rise office towers in Atlanta, Georgia; the competition for the CMA Headquarters in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia; and the 1000+ meter Kingdom Tower in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. Mr. Namgoong received a Bachelor of Art in Architecture and Minor in Art from University of California at Berkeley and a Master of Architecture from the Yale School of Architecture. Active in numerous community organizations, he has been a volunteer and researcher for the International Festival of Arts and Ideas based in New Haven, Connecticut and the New Haven Chapter of the ACE Mentor Program for high school students.

    Tami Ooka

    Managing Director, Fortress Investment Group (Japan)

    Tami Ooka is a Managing Director at Fortress Investment Group Japan, specializing in sourcing and acquisitions of various range of real estate with special focus on healthcare properties. Prior to joining Fortress, she was Japan Head of SC Lowy’s distressed real estate debt investment subsidiary. Tami worked for over eight years at Lehman Brothers Japan’s Global Real Estate Group in Tokyo, where she was one of the founding members of distressed real estate loan team and later moved on to sourcing and acquisition of distressed real estate loans and corporations as well as workout for the acquired assets. She then worked on liquidation of Lehman’s assets after its bankruptcy. Prior to Lehman Brothers, Tami was with Goldman Sachs Realty in Japan where she started the pricing team of distressed real estate debt. Before moving back to her native country of Japan, she worked for KPMG’s Advisory Group in the U.S. to provide valuation services for real estate loans and corporate acquisitions and also for Sumitomo Trust and Banking‘s (currently SMTB) North American branch to generate real estate and corporate loans. She received BA from Aoyama Gakuin University in Tokyo and is fluent in Japanese and English. She is also a leading committee member of WLI Japan, an organization within ULI Japan, which aims for women’s career advancements in real estate industry.

    Barry Hirschfeld

    AIP Group CEO, AIP Healthcare Japan GK

    Barry Hirschfeld, Jr. co-founded Colorado-based Asia Investment Partners (AIP) in the fall of 1998 and currently serves as its President & CEO. Mr. Hirschfeld brings with him over two decades of experience in the Japanese real estate private equity market, including leading the firm’s healthcare-related investments since 2001. During this time, AIP has been recognized as a pioneer in Japanese healthcare real estate investment, having launched Japan’s first healthcare REIT in 2014 in partnership with Daiwa Securities. Prior to AIP, Mr. Hirschfeld was a Panasonic Associate at Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd. based in Osaka, Japan, from 1993 to 1996. Hirschfeld received his MBA in 1998 from Harvard University and a BA in East Asian Studies in 1993 from Harvard College.

    MJ Baik

    Director, Koramco Asset Management Co., Ltd.

    I bring 13+ years of commercial real estate acquisition experience from Korean pension fund called POBA (Public Officials Benefit Association) and asset management companies including IGIS Asset Management and Keppel Capital. Currently employed at KORAMCO Asset Management, a Korean real estate fund manager, undertaking a role to facilitate business development with potential overseas partners, specifically foreign investors seeking to invest in Korean commercial real estate via KORAMCO managed investment vehicles.

    Chungha Cha

    Board Member - ESG & Decarbonisation, Koramco REITS & Trust

    Cha worked in finance for 20+ years (Citibank in New York, Sydney and Honolulu, Yasuda Trust Bank in Tokyo, Board Member to Asian Merchant Bank and CEO of Lone Star Real Estate Funds in Seoul). And now, for 14+ years, Cha has focused his career on ESG & decarbonization, sustainability in real estate, nature-based solutions and innovation districts. Cha is currently serving as: (1) Board of Directors of Koramco Real Estate Fund, Seoul Korea (2) Global Governing Trustee of the Urban Land Institute (2023-2027) and (3) Cofounder & Chair of Reimagining Cities LLC, a nonprofit to help accelerate sustainability and climate action through the sustainable design & development of healthy, carbon neutral mixed-use communities.

    Steve Bass

    Senior Director, Nuveen Real Estate

    Steve Bass is a real estate investment professional with 25 years of experience in the major North Asian Markets, including extensive portfolio management, investment, and operational experience in Japan. Currently, he is Senior Director and Portfolio Manager at Nuveen Real Estate, where he is managing the firm's Japan Alternatives Living Fund. Previously, Steve led investment teams and served on investment committees for real estate managers including CBRE IM, AEW, and Orion Partners (acquired by Abdrn). Steve graduated with a B.A. in economics from Vassar College in New York and a Ph.D. in Urban Planning from UCLA. He studied economics at Gakushuin University in Tokyo on a scholarship from the Japanese Ministry of Education and is fluent in Japanese. Recently, Steve has been working on applications of data science and AI to real estate and has completed multiple certifications in this field. He is a member of the Counselors of Real Estate (CRE) and serves on the Urban Land Institute's APAC Housing Council and Japan Council.