Voices of ULI – a podcast by ULI Asia Pacific, features interviews with thought leaders and industry experts to share their views on the scale, size, breadth of Asia and the transformational changes which have shaped and defined Asian cities and the billions of people that call them home.

Hear about their career journeys and contributions in shaping the present foundation on land use and development; as well as their vision on the next evolution of change for the built environment.

The podcast is hosted by ULI Global Governing Trustee Scott Dunn, Chief Strategy Officer – Asia at AECOM. Scott serves on the ULI Asia Pacific Executive Committee and is the past chair of ULI Singapore.

Follow on your favourite platform Spotify, Google Podcasts and iTunes to ensure you get notified when new episodes come out. The whole series is also available on Knowledge Finder. Tune in to hear multidisciplinary industry leaders discuss a broad range of topics impacting their businesses and the industry in these ULI-produced podcast series from across the globe.

Simon Treacy, CEO of Private Equity Real Estate, CapitaLand Investment

With over 23 years of experience in real estate across USA, Asia, Europe, and Latin America, industry luminary Simon drives the growth of assets under management (AUM) and funds under management (FUM) for CapitaLand Investment‘s private equity real estate business.

Simon has a lot to say as he looks back over the last 20 years: how have Asian cities transformed over time, what’s surprised him, his personal highlights and what will be the evolution of the industry going forward.

For Simon, real estate is all about people, and about communities. The sector continues to go through transformational change which he believes brings many opportunities. The last two years have been no exception and, in fact, the industry has evolved in becoming more community-driven with more attention on shopping behaviour, digitisation, wellness and arts, and culture.

Professor Cheong Koon Hean, Chairman of the Centre for Liveable Cities

Prof. Cheong takes us on a walk down memory lane. She talks about her inspiration, her many learning curves, and her thoughts for the future of the built environment.  And why there is no such thing as a perfect city.

Prof. Cheong played a key role in establishing one of the most exemplary landmarks in Singapore, the Marina Bay. Hear how cities like Baltimore, New York, and London influenced her decisions on its planning which effectively helped to distinguish Singapore with its global signature image.

She believes the pandemic has taught us to be more sustainable and resilient. Cities will become more human-centric and smart as economies and societies become more digital. What does it mean for the future of work, the future of society?

Prof. Cheong was named the 2016 recipient of the ULI Prize for Visionaries in Urban Development, which recognises a person representing an institution whose work demonstrates a commitment to the creation of communities that reflect the highest standards of design and development.

Benjamin Cha, Chief Executive of Grosvenor Group Asia Pacific

Benjamin Cha reflects on growing up in the US and Hong Kong, and how travelling around many vibrant and dynamic cities influenced his interest in urban environments.

He looks back upon his early career years in China, where he witnessed a wave of transformation in urbanisation–with new office towers, hotels, and significant infrastructure growth.

He explains how Discovery Bay, a resort development in Hong Kong, was developed as a mixed-use residential project on a very large-scale and the complexities of such a project. And why he describes this project as a real eye opener and wake up call.

Ben discusses the importance of greener cities in tackling environmental concerns and how this translates into an investment decision. He speaks about the implications of global warming towards urban land development, regional shifts and what Grosvenor’s key areas of focus are for development.

Hiroo Mori, Director and Executive Vice President of Mori Building Co., Ltd.

In a conversation with Hiroo Mori, we hear how being a budding young tennis champion influenced his first steps into the industry.  Mori-san takes us on a deep-dive into the projects he built during the urban development period in Japan.

Mori-san was behind the foundational success of Roppongi Hills, one of Japan’s largest integrated property developments and a fantastic example of mixed-use creation of higher density which took 17 years to complete. Hear how the city of New York provided inspiration for this development and why Roppongi Hills became his favourite project.

Mori-san shares his three priority missions when it comes to urban design: Safety and security; green environment and art and culture. His quality-driven developments have paved the way for other projects in neighbouring countries and cities such as China, Shanghai, and more.

What are the biggest changes that we will face, according to Mori-san? Technological development will have an even bigger impact on our lives.  Though with the issue of climate change within the industry, Mori-san believes there is scope for positive impact on the future of development.