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HONG KONG (October 22, 2013) — The Urban Land Institute (ULI) has named Blake Olafson as Singapore Chairman to preside over ULI’s council in the important South Asian market. Olafson has been a member of ULI since 1985 and was appointed to the International Council in 1997. He is currently a member of the Executive Committee of ULI’s SE Asia Council and the Managing Director and Founder of Whiterock Capital, Singapore.

ULI is a global research and education institute dedicated to leadership in the responsible use of land and innovative, sustainable community building. Currently, ULI has nearly 30,000 members worldwide, including nearly 1,200 in North and South Asia. The institute has seven national councils in Asia, including Singapore, each of which concentrate on their specific geographic markets while ULI’s Asia Pacific operations are run from its office in Hong Kong.

As ULI’s Singapore chairman, Olafson will oversee ULI’s Council Members in Singapore who play a critical role in building communities, developing and redeveloping neighborhoods, envisioning and recreating business districts, planning and implementing industrial parks, bringing residential, retirement, and recreational spaces to life, and designing mixed use facilities that are a part of sustainable urban and suburban environments worldwide.

“Blake has spent over 20 years in the Asian real estate and private equity industry many of which have been in Singapore,” said John Fitzgerald, Chief Executive, Asia Pacific ULI. “Blake’s knowledge of the SE Asian real estate industry is second to none and under his guidance I am confident that ULI will continue to play an important role with regards to the development of the city.”

“I have been an active member of ULI for many years, starting back when I was in university,” said Olafson. “I have been proud to be a member of the SE Asia and Singapore Council since they were established in 2011 and I very much look forward to working with the new executive committee and continuing to advance ULI’s practice of sharing ideas and best practices between members.”

“ULI Singapore has accomplished a lot in the past two years and I am sad to be stepping down as Singapore chairman but excited about the future of ULI in the ‘Lion City’,” stated Scott Dunn, outgoing chairman of ULI Singapore, and Vice President at AECOM. “ULI now has over 130 individual members and 27 corporate members in Singapore signed up from across the industry. The organization provides a unique forum for addressing development issues and opportunities and I am very grateful for ULI South Asia Board’s support over the years.”

About the Urban Land Institute
The Urban Land Institute (www.uli.org) is a global nonprofit education and research institute supported by its members. Its mission is to provide leadership in the responsible use of land and in creating and sustaining thriving communities worldwide.  Established in 1936, the Institute has nearly 30,000 members representing all aspects of land use and development disciplines.